CASPER, Wyo. -- The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team staved off elimination with some hard-nosed play down the stretch to earn an emotional 69-62 overtime win over Central Wyoming College in the first round of the Region IX tournament in Casper, Wyo., Saturday evening.
The win moves the Cougars into the second round against the winner of the Sunday game between Miles Community College and Lamar Community College. The second round game will be played Monday at 5 p.m.
The Cougars trailed 59-55 with 30 seconds to play and came back to tie the contest. Carolina Alves started things by hitting one of two free throws. Alves then got a steal on the defensive pressure to bring the Cougars to within 59-58.
Central Wyoming was then whistled for a traveling call and Hemingford's Shelby Campbell converted one of two free throws to tie the game and force overtime.
In the extra five minutes, Kyra Peterson hit two clutch shots to open the extra period. Peterson nailed a 2-pointer to put WNCC up 61-59. The Rustlers' Jaci Egley tied the game at 61-61 and then Brynn Foster put CWC up 62-61. Peterson came back to nail a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 64-62 lead. The Cougars then hit five free throws the rest of the way and held the Rustlers without a bucket for the win.
WNCC coach Dave Harnish said he was proud of the way his team came back to win, but said they have to play a lot better then they did today.
"We are fortunate tonight. I am proud that they came back and came out with a win," Harnish said. "Hopefully we learned something tonight to play harder and get after it on Monday."
Harnish said what they should never had the game go to overtime in the first place.
"It is frustrating because we shoot 42 percent from the free throw line and missed 15 free throws in the second half, and we got beat on the rebounds," he said. "This was a game that we should win control the game and we don't do it. we are very fortunate to get it to overtime and win the game. We got lucky today and at this time of the year you jsut want to move on and hopefully we learned something today. We have to do a lot better at rebounding the ball and making free throws."
Central Wyoming started the contest on fire as they led 20-13 in the first half. WNCC then went on a 11-0 run to grab a 24-20 lead and went into the locker room ahead 35-28.
WNCC pushed the lead to 11 points in the second half, 46-35, and seemed to be in control. Central Wyoming fought back, taking a 56-54 lead after scoring eight straight points before leading 59-55 with 38 seconds to play.
Shooting was the Cougars biggest worry once again. The Cougars shot just 24-of-64 from the field and was just 3-of-11 from the 3-point line. Central Wyoming connected on 7-of-25 3-pointers and was 20-of-56 from the field.
Central Wyoming out-rebounded the Cougars 46-41. Thais Pinto led the team with 13 rebounds while Carolina Alves had seven, Tiffany Moorer six and Campbell five.
WNCC had three players in double figures. Pinto finished with 21 points on 10 of 16 shooting from the field. Campbell had 15 points, including going 8 of 12 from the free throw line, while Peterson finished with 10 points and two 3-pointers.
Central Wyoming was led by Courtney Patterson with 20 points including three 3-pointers. Egley finished with 14 points for the Rustlers and Amanda Larson had 11.
Central Wyoming (14-15) 28 31 3 -- 62
Western Nebraska (27-4) 35 24 10 -- 69
Central Wyoming
Jaci Egley 14, Brynn Foster 1, Brynlie Nielson 9, Randi Prosenick 2, Courtney Patterson 20, Jackie Nicholson 5.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Samantha Sanders 1, Shelby Campbell 15, Tiffany Moorer 6, Kyra Peterson 10, ChaCha Ofoegbu 6, Darachia Johnson 2, Thais Pinto 21, Carolina Alves 8.
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