Northwest women’s basketball rebounds with 59-45 win over Southwest

SUMMIT — The Northwest Mississippi Community College women’s basketball team (15-8, 6-3) snapped a losing streak with a 59-45 win over Southwest Mississippi Community College (7-16, 3-7).

After a close first quarter that saw the teams tied at 13-17, Northwest’s offense surged in the second quarter. The Rangers outscored the Bears 17-2, thanks to strong defensive play and an explosive offensive effort.

The momentum continued into the third quarter, with Northwest outscoring Southwest 17-8. Sophomore Alorian Story scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds before injuring her ankle early in the fourth quarter. She did not return for the remainder of the game.

Without Story, the fourth quarter featured runs by both teams. Southwest responded with a 13-0 run to cut the lead to six points, but did not score again. Northwest finished the game with an 8-0 run to secure the victory. Bench production was key for the Rangers, with Niakeela Powell contributing a career-high nine points and four rebounds, and Takera Bland adding five points, three blocks, and a season-best 11 rebounds on the defensive end.

This victory begins a demanding week for Northwest, which will play four games in seven days. The team hosts Hinds Community College at Howard Coliseum on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on Ranger TV. Following that, Northwest will travel to Wesson to face Copiah-Lincoln and then to Perkinston to play Mississippi Gulf Coast, which is receiving votes in the national poll. Fans are encouraged to follow the team’s social media accounts or visit nwccrangers.com for updates.

Players mentioned include Takera Bland (#14), Niakeela Powell (#12), and Alorian Story (#35).

Source: Original Article