HICKORY, N.C. – The No. 4-seeded Johnson County women's basketball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament with an 86-49 victory over 13th-seed Grand Rapids at the Tarlton Complex on the campus of Catawba Valley in Hickory, N.C.
The Lady Cavaliers 86 points are the second most scored by a JCCC team in an opening round at nationals, and their 37-point margin is the second-largest ever recorded.
Lady Cavaliers outscored the Raiders 27-to-6 in the third quarter to stretch their 10-point halftime lead to 31 points. Freshman guard Kierra Prim scored all 12 of her game points in the quarter, and sophomore guard Jaylen Townsend tallied seven of her game-high 24 to power the Lady Cavaliers offense.
Townsend, who recently was named MVP of the D-II Kansas Jayhawk Conference, was 10-of-18 from the floor, with a 3-pointer and three free throws. She also the game's top rebounder with nine. Her 24 points tie the seventh-best game recorded at national by a JCCC player, and her 10 field goals tie the fourth-most made.
Sophomore guard Presley Barton was also in double figures with 11, followed by sophomore forward LaJahda Boyland with eight points.
Sophomore point guard D'Asya Collier Williams had a solid line with five points, five boards, six assists and only one turnover.
Sophomore guard Gabby Fuller contributed seven rebounds and five points, and freshman guard Khylee Massey chipped in seven points and five boards.
JCCC dominated Grand Rapids on the boards, 58 to 34, including 20 on the offensive end.
Johnson County will face No. 12-seed Iowa Central on Thursday, April 22 at 8 p.m. CT. Iowa Central advanced to the quarterfinals after No. 5-seeded Macomb was not able to participate due to COVID-19 protocols.