Lady Indians ousted by ICC in NEA semi-finals

Marked Tree saw a six point lead after the first quarter turn into a six point deficit at halftime before ICC outscored the Lady Indians 29-25 in the second half to take a 60-50 win over Marked Tree in the semi-final round of the NEA Invitational Tournament Friday at First National Bank Arena.

Alesia Rand gave Marked Tree a 2-0 lead with a basket in the paint and ICC answered with a jumper to tie game at two. Lakrissa Dupree hit a jumper for the Lady Indians before the Lady Cougars scored down low to make it 4-4. Rand hit a jumper for Marked Tree only to see ICC score in the paint to make 6-6 with 4:14 left. Rand got a stick back basket but the Lady Cougars canned a three-pointer before Marked Tree got back to back baskets from Dupree and Rand to make it 12-9 Marked Tree. ICC got a basket in the paint, then Rand got another stick back and a three-pointer from the top of the key for the Lady Indians to push their lead to 17-11 at the end of one.

ICC scored the first five points of the second quarter to cut the lead to 17-16 before Zyonna Anderson got a steal and lay up for Marked Tree to make it 19-16. ICC hit triple twine, then Journi Versie scored down low for Marked Tree, before the Lady Cougars hit two free throws and Anderson hit two free throws to make it 23-21 Lady Indians with 3:04 left. ICC scored back to back baskets to take a 25-23 lead before Anderson's jumper in the lane for Marked Tree tied the game at 25. The Lady Cougars scored the last six points of the quarter to take a 31-25 lead at the half.

Alesia Rand of Marked Tree reaches out to grab a rebound during girls' tournament action Friday in Jonesboro. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

Anderson made two free throws between an ICC jumper and three-pointer to make it 36-27 Lady Cougars before Versie scored back to back baskets for the Lady Indians to cut the ICC lead to 36-31. The Lady Cougars scored in the paint, before Versie scored down low for Marked Tree. ICC then reeled off nine points to push their lead to 47-33 with 1:18 left. Dupree scored in the paint for the Lady Indians to stop the ICC run, but the Lady Cougars added a bucket to make it 49-35 ICC after three quarters.

Alyssa McGuire hit triple twine to open the fourth quarter for Marked Tree before the Lady Cougars scored back to back baskets to make it 53-38 ICC. The Lady Indians got two free throws from Versie and a basket inside from Rand, before the Lady Cougars hit two free throws to make it 55-42 with 4:03 left. Dupree and Versie scored back to back baskets for Marked Tree, but the Lady Cougars canned a three-pointer to make the score 58-46. Dupree scored in the paint for the Lady Indians, then ICC got a basket inside before Dupree scored in the paint for Marked Tree to set the final score 60-50 Lady Cougars.

“I thought we showed up in the first quarter and played tough defense but then we didn't show up for the next three quarters. You have to play four quarters of basketball to give yourself a chance for a win,” Marked Tree head coach Colten Frazier said after the game. “I thought the story of the day was boxing out and rebounding. First quarter we did that and then we just stopped playing. We need to get back to work, correct the mistakes from today and get ready for the rest of conference play,” Frazier added.

Rand led the Lady Indians with 15 points, while Versie and Dupree both scored 12 points. Anderson finished with eight points and McGuire chipped in three points for Marked Tree.

The Lady Indians advanced to the semi-finals with a 52-36 win over Hillcrest in the quarter-finals. Anderson led the way with 16 points, McGuire tossed in 15 points and Rand finished with 14 points.