ROGERS -- Madison Brittain scored 23 points, and Bentonville used a 8-0 run in the second half to defeat Rogers High 58-48 in a 7A-West Conference girls game Friday night in King Arena.
Rogers was within five late in the third quarter, but the Lady Tigers took a 39-32 lead into the final eight minutes of play. Bentonville then scored the first six points to start the quarter. Brittain scored six points in the fourth period, including a three-point play that gave the Lady Tigers a 44-32 lead with 5 minutes, 9 seconds left in the game.
Bentonville 58, Rogers High 48
Bentonville^22^9^8^19^—^58
Rogers^10^10^12^16^—^48
Bentonville (14-3, 3-2): Brittain 23, Hargus 9, Johnston 8, Roberts 7, Hernandez 5, Murch 4, Clark 2.
Rogers (9-9, 2-3): McKinney 17, Randels 9, Brown 8, Sandor 7, Haddock 3, Wisdom 3, Richmond 1.
Bentonville (14-3, 3-2 7A-West) then hit 9-of-10 free throws in the final 3:47 of the game.
"Madison played under control and she didn't try to do too much," said Bentonville coach Tom Halbmaier. "Madison is a good, strong player. She played a complete game. We then hit the free throws we needed to hit down the stretch."
Bentonville was clicking early as the Lady Tigers rushed to a 22-10 lead heading to the second quarter. The Lady Tigers made their first six shots and scored on seven of their first eight possessions for a 17-8 lead. Maren Johnston had two three-point plays during the early run, and Brittain hit a layup and a 3-pointer to end the first quarter, which saw the Lady Tigers make 9-of-12 shots from the floor.
Rogers had several chances to cut the Bentonville lead to six, but Brittain and Ashley Murch hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help push the Lady Tigers to a 31-20 lead at halftime.
"I was pleased with the fast start," Halbmaier said. "Our girls were ready for this game, they were keyed up for this game. Rogers just missed some shots, and we were fortunate in that area."
Maddi McKinney hit two 3-pointers early in the third quarter for Rogers, and a 3-pointer by Kayla Haddock cut the Bentonville lead to 37-32 late in the period. But Johnston had a stickback that started the Lady Tigers' 8-0 run. Johnston finished with eight points.
"That was a huge offensive rebound," Halbmaier said. "We were on a scoring drought and that was a huge bucket."
McKinney finished with 17 points for Rogers (9-8, 2-3), but Lady Mounties coach Preston Early said the early deficit was too much to overcome.
"We gave up 22 in the first quarter, and that is not characteristic of who we are," Early said. "You have to give all the credit in the world to Bentonville. Bentonville has so much purpose, and I think they had great energy. They looked like a team on a mission."
The Lady Mounties return to action Tuesday when Fayetteville visits King Arena. Bentonville hosts Rogers Heritage Tuesday.
The Mounties will travel to Bentonville tonight. The junior varsity game will start at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity boys game to follow.
Sports on 01/23/2016