OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Two of the top ranked teams in NJCAA Division II women's basketball squared off on Wednesday night when the No. 1 ranked Johnson County Lady Cavaliers traveled across town to face No. 4 Kansas City Kansas. It marked the sixth time the archrivals had gone head-to-head with JCCC as the No. 1 team in the country, and it was the 16th meeting between the two teams when ranked nationally.
Johnson County lived up to its No. 1 ranking, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 75-55 victory over the Blue Devils.
Johnson County won all four quarters, but in the fourth the Lady Cavaliers outscored KCKCC 21-10 to secure the 20-point win and remain unbeaten at 14-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Kansas City Kansas fell to 13-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference. Both losses were to JCCC.
Johnson County shot 41 percent for the game, and hit 84 percent at the charity stripe, making 16-of-19 attempts. The Blue Devils shot well in the first quarter hitting 9-of-21 shots (43%), but only hit 11 field goals the remaining three to finish at 29 percent for the game. They were even worse from 3-point range, hitting 5-of-33 attempts for 15 percent.
KCKCC did manage to pull with seven (56-49) with 8:30 left in the game, but sophomore guard D'Asya Collier-Williams knocked two back-to-back jumpers with the shot clock winding down on both attempts to propel JCCC to a 61-49 advantage.
Four Lady Cavaliers finished in double figures scoring led by sophomore forward LaJahda Boyland with 16 points. She also had a game-high 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
Sophomore guard Jaylen Townsend followed with 14 points and seven rebounds. Collier-Williams matched her season-high with 10 points, and freshman guard Kierra Prim added 10 points and eight boards of the bench.
Sophomore Gabby Fuller flirted to post her fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 10 rebounds and seven points. She also had three steals.
De'Jaria Guillroy was the lone KCKCC player in double figures with 11 points. Aliyah Myers added nine points.
Johnson County will host three home games over the next six days, beginning with Fort Scott (4-8, 2-3) on Saturday, March 20 at 2 p.m. Central Community College-Columbus (3-14) comes to Overland Park on Monday, March 22 for the first meeting between the two schools, then on Wednesday, March 24 the Lady Cavaliers host Hesston (4-9, 0-5) at 5:30 p.m.