The top-ranked Panthers put together another dominating performance to extend their regular season winning streak to 39 games.

Their 5-0 Skyway start was a team effort, connecting for 21 three-pointers in their 90-49 victory over Waubonsee on Tuesday night.

Claire Hyde had a game-high 27 points with nine three-pointers to increase her lead for the most made in the NJCAA DII ranks. She entered the night ahead of her teammates Kaylen Evans and Jalyssa Carrasco.

The duo of Hyde and Carrasco combined to connect on 12 three-pointers, which was too much for Waubonsee to overcome.  

"I eat two whole apples (with the core) before the game, which gives us a lot of sauce while we play. Our defense and rebounding set the tone for the game. That is a huge point of emphasis for us as we continue through the season," Claire Hyde said.

The entire squad dazzled the Sugar Grove crowd on Tuesday night thanks to an early 21-7 lead after the first quarter.

Frannie Metz put together one of her better performances on the season with 16 points and a trio of three-pointers, which opened up her teammates to get open looks.

Mia Simpson posted her 14th game with 10-plus rebounds, and it was her 14th double-double of the season. She has reached double figures in all but two games on the season and has continued to execute at a high level for the top-ranked Panthers.

Gianine Boado added 11 points and knocked down three shots from the outside that helped extend the comfortable leads they had throughout the night. 

"While some players were out, there was an opportunity for others to get more playing time and to step up. It gave me time to get into a rhythm and to do more for the team. A lot of people stepped up and hit shots. Our scoring has balance, and it shows how anyone on our team can have the hot hand," Gianine Boado said.

Several early buckets from the Panther backcourt set the momentum in their favor. Morton College outscored Waubonsee by 27 points in the opening half, and they never looked back.

At 5-0 in the Skyway, the Panthers have yet to allow 50 points, and they have scored no fewer than 85 points. Their impressive conference margin of victory is 58.6 points per game.

The Panthers came into the night averaging 13.3 three-pointers, which led the NJCAA DII ranks. However, the defense came to play by limiting Waubonsee to 17 points in the first half.

Their suffocating defenders were one of the reasons they saw success at Port Huron last season. As the current top-ranked team, the Panthers are moving onto a Thursday night home matchup against Moraine Valley (3-2 in Skyway).

They have a pair of Skyway matchups the rest of the way (each week), with their final scheduled game at home against Elgin on February 23rd. 

Catching fire in January and playing winning basketball has been a joy for Panther nation. If you miss any future home games in person, follow the team on our Facebook page and Youtube. Also, check out GoMCPanthers.com and our social media pages @McAthletics1924 for more upcoming featured recaps, previews, quotes, and all the latest news for Panther hoops.