The Marshall County Tigerettes traveled up to the den at Murfreesboro Central Magnet School for a District 12-AA game Tuesday night.

The Tigerettes and their loyal fan base, whose season has been one not to anyone’s liking, used a huge second half to come from behind to defeat the Lady Tigers 47-46 on junior Israel Hurt’s bank shot with 9.2 seconds left in the game.

“We talked about at halftime to get the score to where we would have a chance,” MCHS coach David Steely said. “The defensive pressure was what enabled us to win the game.”

“Now it is on to the last game (regular season) and a time for our seniors to leave it all on the court.”

The Tigerettes at one point, trailed by 17 points in the first half and trailed at halftime 32-16.

Dionna Crutcher scored 18 points and Hurt added 14.

Central controlled the opening tip, but missed their open shot and MCHS came down court where Sydney Tidwell sank a 3-pointer from the corner, putting the Tigerettes up 3-0.

Central then went on a 13-0 run as Addison Melton dropped in 10 of those points.

Karlye Wiser stopped the Central run with a 3-pointer from the right side, but the Lady Tigers maintained their lead.

Hurt scored down low and added another basket, but at the end of the first quarter the Tigerettes trailed 18-10.

The second quarter saw more of the same as Melton continued her hot hand, scoring four points and she had help as Kaitlyn Polly scored eight.

MCHS could only respond with four points from Crutcher and two free-throws by Demiyah Blackman and at the halftime buzzer, the Tigerettes trailed 32-16.

The Tigerettes began to cut into the Central lead in the second half, while raising the intensity of their defense pressure.

Wiser and Crutcher sank 3-pointers and Hurt fought off double teams under the basket to score eight points as the Tigerettes cut the lead to seven points at the end of the third quarter, 41-34.

The Tigerettes upped the defensive pressure even more and as time in the quarter went under three minutes, results from that pressure paid off as Central fell apart on back-to-back possessions.

Tidwell stole the ball and scored on a layup and Crutcher did the same when Blackman intercepted a pass.

Central then turned the ball over on a five-second count near the sideline.

Crutcher’s 3-pointer cut the lead to one and with the final seconds ticking off the clock, Hurt took a pass down low and banked in a soft jumper with 9.2 seconds left and MCHS led for the first time since the first quarter.

“It felt good to make the shot,” Hurt said.

Central could not get a last second shot to go and the jubilant Tigerettes celebrated.

The Tigerettes face district champions Nolensville at home on Friday night to wind up the regular season.

District 12-AA Standings

Nolensville (14-6, 7-2)

Community (10-10, 5-4)

Forrest (8-11, 5-4)

MCM (10-7, 4-5)

Giles County (5-11, 3-6)

Marshall County (5-13, 3-6)

MCHS 10 6 18 13-47

MCM 18 14 9 5-46

MCHS (47): Dionna Crutcher 18, Israel Hurt 14, Karlye Wiser 8, Sydney Tidwell 3, Demiyah Blackman 2.

Three-Point Goals (5): Crutcher 2, Wiser 2, Tidwell.

Free Throws (5-for-6): Crutcher 2-for-4, Blackman 2-for-2, Hurt 2-for-2, Wiser 0-for-2.

MCM (46): Addison Melton 17, Oliva Hart 13, Kaitlyn Polly 12, Kathryn Hays 4.

Three-Point Goals (1): Melton.

Free Throws (20-for-26): Melton 10-for-13, Hart 5-for-5, Polly 4-for-5, Hays 1-for-3.

Halftime Score: Murfreesboro Central Magnet 32, MCHS 16.