Natalya Hodge and the Bearden Lady Bulldogs took on Bartlett in a Class 4A state quarterfinal at MTSU’s Murphy Center on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Photo by Danny Parker).
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — The Bearden girls’ basketball team that showed up in the fourth quarter of Thursday’s Class 4A state quarterfinal looked to be the same one that produced more than 30 wins this season.
But the first three quarters against Bartlett proved to be so full of frustrating moments and missed opportunities for them, that the Lady Bulldogs simply didn’t have enough time left to dig out of the hole they had formed.
Three-time Miss Basketball finalist and Missouri signee Natalya Hodge scored 18 of her game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter, as Bearden battled back from a double-digit deficit, but Bartlett made the foul shots late it needed to make to hold on for the 77-73 victory.
Bartlett (28-10) advanced to Friday’s state semifinals, where it will play Cookeville (29-4).
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Bartlett made 13 of 15 free throws against Bearden, including four in the final 15 seconds to keep a comeback by the Lady Bulldogs (32-4) at bay.
Meanwhile, Bearden trailed by as many as 15 Thursday, amassed 19 turnovers and also struggled from the foul line, making 12 of 27 attempts. Down 75-71 late, Hodge got fouled on a 3-point try and made 2 of 3 at the free-throw line.
Amare Boothe, a senior guard at Bartlett, answered with two foul shots with 7 seconds remaining on the Lady Panthers’ end t0 seal the win.
Hodge’s 31 came on 10-for-29 shooting but she went 5 of 11 from deep. Hodge finished 6 of 14 at the foul line, though. Emma Rainey, also a senior at Bearden, had 11 points and six assists. She was 4 of 13 from the floor, 1 of 6 from 3 and 2 of 5 at the foul line.
Still, Rainey came up with a 3-point play late in the third to trim the Lady Bulldogs’ deficit to 51-41. And her steal and score with 50 seconds left in the third cut the Bartlett lead to eight points.
Hodge’s 3-pointer in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter sliced Bartlett’s lead to 56-46. She scored again to keep the deficit at 10, but Bartlett kept answering each Bearden score with a bucket.
Hodge hit a 3 with 6:15 to play to get Bearden within nine. Bartlett scored on the ensuing possession.
Bearden closed the gap to eight points following MC LeMarbre’s corner 3 with 5:50 remaining. But on Bartlett’s possession, 6-foot-2 forward Faye Williams scored in the post to make for a 64-54 score.
Hodge sank a deep 3 from the top of the key to get Bearden within 66-61.
Hodge’s 3 with 1:23 left tied the game at 68-all and she let out a massive celebratory scream, feeling the adrenaline rush of the moment but also releasing any suppressed emotions from earlier struggles.
“I thought we played with great pace, great energy and great effort that second half,” Underwood said. “They were going to go down swinging.”
But Bartlett’s Anniya Bailey quickly answered with a jumper to regain the lead.
Bearden turned the ball over on its ensuing possession and had to foul. Bartlett made both foul shots to lead by four (72-68) with 56 seconds to play.
Senior forwards Theola Mills and Katie Foster were bright spots for Bearden in the loss, combining for 6-for-6 shooting and 14 points. Mills used her physicality to grab nine rebounds, five blocks and four steals.
LeMarbre, a 5-11 sophomore forward, scored 15 off the bench with seven rebounds. She went 6-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-4 from 3.
“I’m so proud of us and all that we’ve accomplished,” Rainey said of the seniors on Bearden’s team. “There’s not another team I would have wanted to do these four years with.”
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