It was the Cougars first game back from the holiday break and they didn’t skip a beat defensively in remaining unbeaten on the year. The No. 16 WNCC team had three players record double-figures , led by Hemingford graduate Shelby Campbell with 12 points. Carolina Alves followed with 11 and Thais Pinto with 10.
EWC, who has lost their last five games, was led in scoring by Krystal Pittman with 16 points. Pittman sank five 3-pointers and pulled down seven rebounds in the contest. Sarah Smith also had a good game, finishing with 10 points and seven boards.
Campbell said that they played alright, but there were a few things that were still rusty from the holiday break.
“We didn’t play our average game that we normally have been playing. We are just getting back into our game,” the sophomore point guard said. “After the game, Coach [Dave] Harnish pointed out the things we need to work on. We still got the W, and it is the small things that you do to win games, and defense is huge tonight.”
WNCC started the contest strong, zipping out to an 8-0 lead behind back-to-back buckets by Alves. EWC came right back to slice the lead to 8-6 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Jubilee Sutherland.
Campbell said the opening few minutes was a huge momentum boost for the team.
“It was a huge confidence booster. Anytime you can come out of the gates solid, then it is good momentum throughout the game,” she said. “We knew coming into the game that Eastern Wyoming lives and dies from the 3-pointer. The first half we were well aware of that.”
The first half stayed tight between the Highway 26 rivals; that is until the eight minute mark. That was when the Cougars opened up an 18-15 advantage and led by double digits, 25-15 behind a huge 3-pointer by Kyra Peterson. WNCC went on to lead 33-22 at halftime.
The Cougars’ defense picked up greatly in the second half. After the Lancers sliced the lead to seven points, 34-27 on a Pittman trey, the Cougars went on a 12-2 run, capped by Campbell sticking the ball back in the hoop after following her missed shot to lead 48-29.
The big difference in the contest was shooting. The Cougars shot 49 percent from the field, including 57 percent in the first half. EWC was just 33 percent from the field. The majority of the Lancers’ points came from behind the arc. EWC canned nine treys, five in the second half.
WNCC will take its unbeaten mark on the road as they travel to Lamar Community College and Otero Junior College on Friday and Saturday. The Lancers return home for Wyoming Conference action against Northwest Wyoming and Sheridan this weekend.
Campbell said they are going into this weekend’s contest with caution.
“We are not looking past them, that is for sure,” she said. “All teams are teams to reckon with. We just have to go down there with the same mentality and confidence.”
EWC (6-9)
WNCC (15-0) 33 37 – 70
EWC
Krystal Pittman 16, Jayda Schelling 8, Shauri Lyon 4, Jubilee Sutherland 6, Sarah Smith 10, Jessica Santistevan 2, Shickerra Marsh 4.
WNCC
Samantha Sanders 5, Shelby Campbell 12, Tiffany Moorer 4, Lisa Durden 6, Kyra Peterson 5, ChaCha Ofoegbu 8, Leona Garrett 7, Thais Pinto 10, Carolina Alves 11, Shelby Jones 2.
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