BASKETBALL: Lady Chaps crush Frank Phillips to move to 2-0 in WJCAC play

MC (7-9 overall) not only seems to be playing with more confidence but more consistent on both ends of the floor through two WJCAC games than they had been leading up to league pay. The Lady Chaps got a big lift on Saturday when they went on the road and got a 72-67 overtime victory over Howard College.

"I think they have some urgency and have done a good job of knowing what Howard and what Frank does in their prep work," MC coach Ron Jones said. "We got a little sloppy in the second half, but I'm happy with a 2-0 start in conference."

MC got off to a strong start as it jumped out to a 12-2 early lead and then took a 42-19 advantage at intermission.

The Lady Chaps shot well from the outside, led by Janay Quinn, who hit seven 3-pointers as part of her game-high 23 points. Sophomore forward Desiree Smith also established an inside presence with 16 points and eight rebounds.

"(Smith) works really hard and is really physical and it really helps in finishing those shots around the basket," Jones said. "And then on top of that, we hit some outside shots. It was a good inside-outside game for us."

The Lady Chaps also took advantage of Frank Phillips shooting woes as it hit only 22.9% of its shots in the first half and 28.4% for the game.

"We're paying well," said Quinn, a freshman guard from Miami. "We just need to get better as we go. The key for us is playing under control and fixing our mistakes. We can't backtrack and we just need to keep going forward."

Also for MC, Franka Kraus had 13 points and Taja Stephens added 11.

FPC was led by Xae Rosalez with 12 points and Ayeun Akot with 10. Legacy grad Sa'Nya Green had eight points in her return to Midland.

Up next for MC is a trip to No. 11 New Mexico Junior College at 6:45 p.m. CST Thursday.

"They're really talented and one of the top teams in the country," Jones said. "It's going to be a big challenge for us but we're going to give ourselves a chance to win."

Added Quinn: "I think this brings a lot our confidence up. Going into New Mexico, I will say that we will be prepared defensive-wise and I know our offense will get better, especially against the press."