CANDLER – Running the table in Mountain Athletic Conference play was about the only thing left on the McDowell Lady Titans regular-season checklist.
You can now check that one off the list, too.
McDowell, with the help of a balanced scoring attack, took care of business by closing out the regular season Tuesday night with a commanding 71-30 road win against the Enka Sugar Jets.
The sixth-ranked Lady Titans (NCPreps.com) conclude the regular season with a 21-2 overall record and a spotless 12-0 mark in league play.
McDowell extended its winning streak to 17 games going into postseason play.
The Lady Titans will receive a bye in the MAC 4A tournament and will face off against the winner of the semifinal between A.C. Reynolds and T.C. Roberson next Friday at Roberson.
McDowell’s overall record will give the team the inside track on a high seed in the upcoming 4A State Playoffs. Pairings will not be released until after the end of the conference tournament.
Junior guard Nicole Mills erupted for 19 points in the contest, with 15 of those coming in the first half. Mills also had a strong floor game with six rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Tuccoa Brackett (6 rebounds) added 15 points and Taylor Settlemyre also placed in double digits, scoring 11 points and dishing out six assists.
After a 16-8 start, McDowell began to stretch its margin during the second quarter, outscoring the Sugar Jets 14-4 to increase the lead to 30-12.
The Lady Titans didn’t pull back during the second half. Brackett scored six straight points in the early moments of the third to push McDowell’s lead past the 20-point plateau.
Even at the end, the reserves were successful, holding a 25-8 advantage in the final eight minutes.
Cierra Suggs led Enka (6-17, 1-10) with 10 points in a losing effort.
The Lady Titans, with their full-court and half-court man-to-man defense, forced Enka into 28 turnovers on the night while also holding a 32-24 rebounding margin.
Sophomore Kylie Lenon added nine points and two rebounds off the bench. Aryonna Noblitt chipped in six points. Jessica Patrick (6 rebounds, 2 assists) and Shellie Riddle (3 rebounds) tacked on four points each. Karen Jones tallied two points and Amber Fulbright (4 rebounds) scored one point.
The Lady Titans have won eight of the last 10 regular-season conference championships, and will be looking for their eighth conference tournament title in 10 years next week.
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