Paraqould, AR – The Dexter Lady Cats won a hard fought 62-50 victory over the Buffalo Island Central Lady Mustangs Friday night in the semi-finals of the McDonalds Shootout in Paragould, Arkansas.

After turnovers by both teams started the game, the Lady Cats scored first as Alison Jarrell hit a three pointer from the left corner to give the girls an early lead.  After a made Caasidy Qualls free throw for BIC, the Cats scored 5 quick points on two free throws by Hannah Noe and the second of four three pointers on the night by Jarrell to take an 8-1 lead.

After the teams traded baskets, including a bucket in the paint by Brittany Harris, Brittany Fowler, the Division 1 signee with Arkansas State, took over for the Lady Mustangs. She made two three’s and a routine basket from the field, on her way to a game high 23 points to give the Lady Mustangs a 14-12 lead.

Erika Cobb knocked down a three point basket for three of her team high 16 points to give the Cats a short lived lead, before BIC scored four straight.  A final basket by Brittany Harris ended the quarter and the Lady Cats trailed 18-17.

Hannah Noe opened the second quarter with a quick steal and was fouled as she went down to shoot. Making one of two free throws to tie the game at 18 she then hit a layup to give the Cats a lead they would not give up the rest of the evening. 

Brittany Harris was fouled in the act of shooting and made one of two throws, and then Erika Cobb made a long three to give the Cats a five point lead.  The teams traded baskets and after two BIC free throws the lead was cut to three.  A big basket by Junior Mollie Whitehead (2 points, 4 rebounds and a steal on the night), a three by Cobb (who was chosen game MVP) and a basket by Noe gave the Cats a 33-24 lead.  Free throws by all state player Fowler for BIC and a basket late in the half by Paige Patterson gave the Lady Cats a nine point half time lead 35-26.

The second half was similar to the first in that the Lady Cats dominated the rebounds (28-12 on the night) while shooting free throws poorly (42% for the game).  Paige Patterson started the second half as she ended the  first with a quick basket (4 points, 5 rebounds and a block on the night) to give the Cats an eleven point lead.

BIC hung tough lead by Brittany Fowler to cut that lead to 8.  Hannah Noe then hit a basket, one of her 12 points for the evening and Alison Jarrell hit her final two three point shoots of the night to give Dexter a 48-36 lead. 

Katelynn Frazier then hit one of her three free throws on the night to give the team their biggest lead of the game at 13.  From there the team traded baskets for the rest of the quarter including freshman Melanie McKuin’s only bucket and the Cats had a 51-42 lead after three quarters.

The Lady Mustangs cut the margin to as few as 10 in the fourth quarter but could never get any closer as free throws by Cobb and Frazier and baskets by Cobb, Noe and Harris were enough for Dexter to hold on for the 62-50 victory. With the win the Lady Cats play the Paragould Lady Rams in the title game on Saturday at 4:30 in Paragould.  Try to attend of possible, but if you can’t the game will be broadcast on 90.3 FM.  Good luck to the Lady Cats..