The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team will soon be known as the cardiac kids if they keep playing games the way they have the past three weeks. Tuesday night, the Cougar women trailed 36-22 at halftime and then came out in the second half shooting 50 percent and outscored Eastern Wyoming College 54-28 to escape with a south sub-region 76-62 win.
"We just came out ready to play in the second half," Samantha Sanders, who ignited for 24 points, said. " I don't know why we can't come out in the first half and do that, but the second half our defense was more focused, we were knocking down shots, and that was the difference."
Sanders is still wondering why this team likes to make games interesting.
"I don't know if it is the lack of bodies, but I honestly just don't know what why we do it," she said. "But, as long as we are coming out with a win and keep doing the things to get better, that is all we can. Winning is the key and working on getting better, so when we play those bigger and better teams, we are not coming out so soft and tired."
Tuesday's sub-region game looked as if Eastern Wyoming College was going to pull the upset as they played like champions in the first half, going on a 10-0 run that was highlighted by 3-pointers by Brianna Pittman and Brittani Colberg for a 24-10 lead.
The Cougars cut the lead to 24-17 only to watch the Lancers mount a 6-0 run that included a ig 3-pointer by Colberg that helped the Lancers to a 36-22 halftime lead.
EWC coach Tom Andersen said his team played well in the second half as they shot 41 percent from the field and connected on five 3-pointers.
"We played well the first half and in the second half we made some bad turnovers that led directly to baskets and we fouled them too much," he said. "It has been this way all season. We have been inconsistent. We play good at times and then not at times. Our kids gave a great effort and Scottsbluff did a good job coming back and turning up the pressure in the second half. They made the plays when they had to. They took the lead but we came back and got it back, but then we had bad mistakes at the wrong time."
The second half was a different story all together for both squads. WNCC, who shot just 21 percent in the first half, shot 50 percent in the second 20 minutes including knocking down four 3-pointers, three of which came from the hands of Sanders.
WNCC, however, didn't grab the lead until midway through the half. The Lancers led 44-38 with about 14 minutes to play. That was when the tide turned as WNCC went on a 12-0 run that included a big 3-pointer by Idil Ozbayrak. WNCC led 50-44 with 10 minutes to play.
The Lancers came back with a 9-0 run that saw Colberg, who finished with 11 points and three treys, nail a 3-pointer for a 53-44 lead. The Cougars defense picked up once again, as they held the Lancers scoreless for the next four minutes while they went on a 14-0 run and a 64-53 lead. The big plays during that run was four points from Jessica Aratani and five points from Sanders, including a 3-pointer and a bucket off a steal.
Sanders said that when her team needs to play like the second half for a complete game.
"When we are focused and want to play defense, we are good," she said. "But we need to come out the first half and play strong all game long instead of waiting until we are down 14 points to do it. The second half we were just knocking down shots."
WNCC had three players finish with double figures. Sanders led all scorers with 24 points, while Kelsey Doddridge chipped in 17 points and Aratani had 13 points. ChaCha Ofoegbu finished with 10 rebounds while Aratani pulled down eight.
The Lancers also had three with double digits. Aylssa Deal led the way with 19 points and three 3-pointers, while Colberg had 11 points and Portia McCray had 13.
The Lancers will next be in action Thursday when they travel to Central Wyoming. WNCC will be back in action Friday when they host Casper College in what is billed as "White Out" night, where fans are asked to wear white.
EWC (3-15) 34 28 -- 62
WNCC (17-4) 22 54 -- 76
EASTERN WYOMING
Alyssa Deal 19, Brittani Colberg 11, Lacey Houston 2, Jeileen Mas 6, Jubilee Sutherland 4, Shauri Lyon 4, Portia McCray 13, Brianna Pittman 3.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Samantha Sanders 24, Leona Garrett 5, Lisa Durden 4, ChaCha Ofoegbu 5, Idil Ozbayrak 8, Kelsey Doddridge 17, Jessica Aratani 13.
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