Late spurt allows Lady Hornets to notch NCMC victory over Marshall

The Fulton Lady Hornets used opportune free-throw shooting to avoid another second-half letdown.

Senior NaShayla Brandt and sophomore Gentry Totta combined to convert all 10 of the Lady Hornets' attempts from the line in Fulton's 51-43 NCMC win over the Marshall Lady Owls on Monday night.

The Lady Hornets (12-8, 5-2 North Central Missouri Conference) earned the series sweep of the Lady Owls with the win.

Fulton had a 28-18 halftime advantage, but Marshall came out with 17-9 spurt in the third quarter to trail 37-35 entering the fourth quarter. Lady Hornets junior guard Sloane Totta's 3-pointer broke a 42-all tie and triggered the Fulton's 9-1 game-ending run.

Brandt and Gentry Totta supplied the final six Lady Hornet points from the free-throw line to secure the victory.

"I like how we were 10-for-10 from the free-throw line; that helps," Fulton head coach TJ Quick said. "We were able to stall and use up the clock because we were confident in our free-throw making."

Sloane Totta paced the Lady Hornets with 19 points. Brandt added 10 points, while Gentry Totta chipped in with eight.

"We've had to play a lot of man lately having to play all of these tall people and (Gentry's) done an excellent job," Quick said. "She stepped up and made those free throws."

Brandt and Sloane Totta each had a game-high seven rebounds as Fulton outgained the Lady Owls 25-16 on the glass.

The Lady Hornets shot 45 percent (17-of-38) from the field.

Molly Evans paced Marshall with a game-high 21 points, and also led her team with three rebounds. The Lady Owls shot 47 percent (16-of-34) from the floor.

Fulton fell 39-16 in the junior varsity game. Junior guard Michaela Huff sparked the Lady Hornets with 10 points and six rebounds.

Fulton plays at Southern Boone as part of a junior varsity girls-boys and varsity girls-boys' doubleheaders at at 5 p.m. Friday.

The Lady Hornets bowed to the Lady Eagles 50-41 in the first round of the Southern Boone Classic last Monday night.