Lake Norman is headed to the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A girls basketball state championship.

The Wildcats outlasted previoulsy unbeaten and No. 1 seed McDowell 58-52 in the western regional championship game at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem on Wednesday evening.

It was a game of runs. One team would make a push, then the other team would make a comeback.

Lake Norman led 5-3 early in the first quarter, but McDowell went on a 7-0 run and led 12-0 after one quarter.

Kelsey Rhyne quickly tied the game with a 3-pointer, for Lake Norman to start the second quarter, and Alexis Shehan eventually gave the Wildcats the lead again with a breakaway lay-up making it 16-14. That started an 11-2 run for Lake Norman that eventually saw the Wildcats up six points.

But McDowell came roaring back before halftime and a Kimora Stewart 3-pointer gave the Titans a 25-24 lead. McDowell led 32-28 at halftime.

The game of runs continued in the second half. Lake Norman held McDowell to just four points in the third quarter and claimed a one-point lead going into the final quarter.

That one-point lead persisted through much of the fourth quarter. Rayana Minard hit a pair of free throws to extend the Wildcats’ lead to three points at 49-46 with 2:18 left.

McDowell got back to within one point multiple times, but Lake Norman answered each time. Khloe Joyner had a chance to tie the game with 55 seconds left with two free throws, but the sophomore missed both attempts and the ball went back to Lake Norman.

The Wildcats’ lead became five points when Minard split a pair of free throws and Alexis Shehan collected the rebound and finished the lay-up to give Lake Norman a 55-50 advantage. That five-point deficit was too much for McDowell to overcome as Lake Norman made just enough free throws to keep the game at two possessions.

Lake Norman had four players in double-figures, led by Minard’s 17 points. She had nine points in the fourth quarter to help secure the win for Lake Norman.

Alexis Shehan finished with 15 points, Rhyne posted 12 points, and Samantha Shehan scored 10 points. The four players combined for 54 of the Wildcats’ 58 points.

McDowell was led in scoring by Joyner and Kimora Stewart who both scored 14 points. They were the only players in double-figures for the Titans.

This marks the second time Lake Norman has appeared in a girls basketball state championship game. The Wildcats lost to Panther Creek in the 2023 championship.

Lake Norman will face Wakefield in the state championship after the Wolverines beat Hoggard 31-23 in the eastern regional championship game.

McDowell’s season ends with a record of 30-1, the lone loss coming the state semifinals.