The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team overcame the shooting blues to down Colby Community College 68-39 Friday in the second day of the Lady Cougar Holiday Classic at Cougar Palace.
The Cougars show just 39 percent from the field, including an 0-11 performance from beyond the arc in the first half. But, while WNCC’s offense was struggling, its defense was superior holding Colby to 31 percent shooting and forcing 24 turnovers. In the first half along, the Cougars No. 2-ranked defense forced two 30-second clock violation and one 5-second violation as the defense stymied the Trojans defense.
“The biggest thing was that we shot the ball well all season long and we go 0-11 in the first half, which is not indicative for this team,” WNCC coach Dave Harnish, who was honored with a plague before the game for collecting his 500th coaching victory Nov. 19, said. “Defensively we were solid all night long. Offensively, it wasn’t that we weren’t getting good looks, it was we weren’t knocking them down. We got very tentative in the first half and the start of the second half. Finally, Kiki (Taylor) hits a three, and then Chelsea (Lyles) and Emma (Beddome) hits a three and finally we got more relaxed.”
The first half was ugly offensively for both teams. WNCC the game from start to finish, but the Trojans battled tooth and nail cutting the lead to 8-7 on a Sandra Sormaz bucket and then later 13-10 on a Jamie Schroeder 3-pointer.
Then it became the Victoria Martin show as the 5-foot-11 post player scored nine straight points for the Cougars to vault them to a 17-10 lead. WNCC went ahead to lead 30-23 at halftime.
Colby quickly took control in the second half as Vanja Zelenovic hit a bucket and then Schroeder had two free throws to cut the deficit to 30-27. In fact, WNCC’s shooting woes continued early in the half as they didn’t connect for their first bucket until the 17:09 mark on a Taylor 3-pointer.
WNCC, though, still struggled offensively as Colby was within 39-33 with 14 minutes to play. Things changed quickly after that as Taylor ignited the Cougars offensively converting on a four-point play after being fouled making a 3-point shot. That ignited the Cougars as Lyles and Beddome converted on 3-pointers to push the lead to 49-35.
WNCC kept the run going by scoring the next eight points for a 57-37 lead before Colby finally converted two free throws. But, it was too late as Beddome scored on back-to-back buckets to help WNCC to their 12th victory of the season.
Harnish said if it wasn’t for the defense, the result could have been different.
“We made a couple mistakes the first half where we gave up a couple threes and didn’t get out on people,” he said. “We were really good in the second half. We didn’t give them many open looks, we rotated very well. The defense kept us in there since we weren’t shooting the ball well. If we weren’t playing good defense, then it would have been a long night.”
WNCC placed there players in double figures. Martin finished with 19 points of which 12 came in the first half. Also collecting double-digits were Taylor and Tiara Scott with 11 points each.
Douglas, Wyo., graduate Jamie Schroeder led the Trojans with 16 points followed by Sormaz with 14.
The tournament continues today with Colby facing Little Big Horn College at 1 p.m. followed by WNCC taking on Williston State College at 3 p.m. Williston State was a 87-60 winner over Little Big Horn in the opening game Friday. Williston State was led by Anne Hanson with 22 points, including six 3-pointers. Misty McCormick led Little Big Horn with 25 points.
Little Big Horn 26 34 – 60
Williston State 51 36 – 87
LITTLE BIG HORN
Misty McCormick 25, Brittany Smith 2, Raylee Pretty Weasel 15, Shafeen Old Coyote 2, Laval Spotted Bear 12, Tasha Carpenter 2, Ida Backbone 2.
WILLISTON STATE
Kayla Barenthsen 7, Kayla Miller 13, Erika Stewart 6, Sam Botsfield 2, Kirsten Hernandez 6, Leigh Sifuentes 3, Alicia Long 4, Kim Oyloe 11, Heidy Bouchard 6, Anne Hanson 22, Kia Herbel 7.
Colby 23 16 – 39
WNCC 30 38 – 68
COLBY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Jacci Tinkel 4, Erin Goodhue 1, Jamie Schroeder 16, Vanja Zelenovic 4, Sandra Sormaz 14.
WESTERN NEBRASKA CC
Kiki Taylor 11, Emma Beddome 8, Tiara Scott 11, Victoria Martin 19, Alison Cheney 6, Shiraya Soto 5, Chelsea Lyles 8.
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