The
Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five players in
double figures and received 51 points from their bench in rolling to a 100-45
win over Little Big Horn College to open play in the Region IX Tournament at
Cougar Palace Sunday evening.
The
22nd-ranked Cougars connected on 10 3-pointers, including a dramatic
trey with two seconds left in the game and the shot clock winding down by Katie
Kerkhoff to give the Cougars their first century mark win of the season.
In other
first-day scores saw Miles Community College top Eastern Wyoming College 71-66
in double overtime, Sheridan College getting by Dawson 72-59, and Western
Wyoming defeating Trinidad State xx-xx.
Action
continues Monday with four more first-round game with Otero Junior College
taking on Northwest College at 1 p.m., Gillette facing Northeastern Junior
College at 3 p.m., McCook Community College meeting Central Wyoming College at
5 p.m., and Lamar Community College taking on Casper College at 7 p.m.
WNCC’s
Laurin Rivera said it feels good get that first win in the regional tournament.
Last year, WNCC was ousted in the first round by Central Wyoming.
“We
just all came out with a lot of energy. That was really nice because that
energy got us all going. Even from the bench there was a lot of energy,” the
freshman from Colorado Springs, Colo., said. “It is good to get the first win
and get our nerves out, but we know we have bigger games ahead of us. We just
have to take it one step at a time.”
Rivera,
who finished with 14 points, five steals, four assists and two 3-pointers, said
everyone played well and it started from the get-go.
“We
are just a good team and we all play well together. We have a really good bond
and it works well on the court,” she said.
The
Cougars opened the game on a 8-0 run and quickly pushed it to 23-2 behind a
scoring attack that saw everyone contribute in some fashion. The Cougars led
31-10 before running off 25 straight points, led by six points from Rivera and
Jessica Aratani, a 3-pointer by Shalisa Moffit, and four points from Gritt
Ryder to take a 56-12 halftime lead.
WNCC
struggled putting the ball in the hope for the first six minutes of the second
half and that saw the Rams outscore the Cougars 11-4 to trail 60-23. That
drought was short lived as the Cougars started raining in shots left and right
as Rivera nailed two treys, Maurissa Ortega three 3-pointers, and Michelle
Brassard game off the bench to score six quick points for the easy win.
The
big difference in the game was shooting. The Rams shot eight percent from the
field in the first half and warmed up a little in the second half to finish the
game shooting 25 percent. The Cougars, on the other hand, shot 57 percent in
the first half and were 52 percent for the game.
The
Cougars continued their outside shooting, connecting on 10 of 26 from beyond
the arc. The Cougars were also 6 of 10 from the free throw line, while Little
Big Horn was 13 of 15. The Rams were also a perfect 8 for 8 in the first half
from the charity stripe.
Kandace
Carroll led Little Big Horn with 13 points and seven rebounds.
WNCC
put five players in double figures. Ryder led the way with 15 points, six
rebounds, five assists and five steals. Rivera followed with 14 points, with
Ortega and Aratani finishing with 13 points and Ashley Stevens getting 11.
Stevens also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
WNCC,
17-14, will advance to play the winner of the Casper and McCook game on Tuesday
at 7 p.m.
Rivera
said they have to put this win behind them and get ready for Tuesday against a
tough opponent.
“We
just have to play with heart and we have to come out with the same energy that
we did tonight,” she said. “Hopefully we run our sets well and we play some
good defense.”
LBHC 12
33 – 45
WNCC 56
44 – 100
LITTLE BIG HORN COLLEGE
Alonia Clay 8, Thea Little Light 2, Monica Turns Plenty 1, Violet Birdinground 8, Acacia Big Man 8, Kandace Carroll 13, Mikayla Pitts 2.
Alonia Clay 8, Thea Little Light 2, Monica Turns Plenty 1, Violet Birdinground 8, Acacia Big Man 8, Kandace Carroll 13, Mikayla Pitts 2.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Mikayla Brower 7, Laurin Rivera 14, Kelsey Doddridge 3,
Gritt Ryder 15, Shalisa Moffit 7, Katie Kerkhoff 7, Maurissa Ortega 13, Simone
Evans 4, Michelle Brassard 6, Ashley Stevens 11, Jessica Aratani 13.
Miles 77, EWC 66
(2OT)
Miles
Community College’s Ivana Grbic poured in 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds
as the Pioneers upended No. 2 Eastern Wyoming College 71-66 in double overtime.
This
was a contest that was anyone’s game. Miles held a 23-21 lead at halftime and
led by as many as eight points, 47-39, with 6:32 to play. The Lancers fought
back, tying the game at 49-49 on two free throws by JaiDah Richardson. Miles
led 54-52 with 27.3 seconds to play, but Richardson tied the contest at 54-54
with a bucket. Both teams then committed turnovers to force the extra period.
EWC’s
Megan Crenshaw put the Lancers up to start the overtime period and led 59-58
on Richardson bucket. After Miles tied
the game, Brittany Cross scored off an offensve putback to put the Lancers back
up by two.
The
Pioneers came back as Grbic scored back to take a 63-61 lead. The second bucket
saw Grbic drive the lane. The Lancers got the defensive stop they needed and
tied the game at 63-63 on a Cross bucket and foul. Cross, however, missed the
free throw with 3.7 seconds to play to force a second overtime period.
Just
like the first overtime, EWC took a 65-63 lead. Miles came back to score seven
straight to take a 70-65 lead with 18.3 seconds to play.
Both
teams were off on their shooting. EWC shot 29 percent from the field and was
just 20 percent from the 3-point line (2 of 10). Miles shot 30 percent from the
field and they were 27 percent from the act (5 of 18).
Miles out rebounded EWC 67-49. Grbic led the way
with 13 boards followed by Dragano Vokovic with 12. Cross led the Lancers with
19 rebounds. Cross also poured in 16 points to finish with a double-double.
Also
hitting the double-digit column for the Lancers were Crenshaw and Richardson
with 13 points each. Miles also got double-digit scoring from Tessa Rouane and
Vokovic with 13 and 12 points respectively.
EWC 21
33 9 3 – 66
Miles 23
31 9 8 – 71
EWC
Hazel Doe 4, Brittani Colberg 4, Shayna Shaffer 6, Jai
Chandler 8, Megan Crenshaw 13, JaiDah Richardson 13, Bryanna Larsen 2, Brittany
Cross 16.
MILES
Tess Blaquiere 4, Taylor Lupley 5, Tessa Rouane 13,
Ashley Malmquist 2, Janae Reynen 6, Ivana Grbic 26, Ashley Hildreth 3, Dragana
Vokovic 13.
Sheridan 72, Dawson 59
Sheridan
received a double-double from Milomilo Nanai of 22 points and 15 rebounds to
left the Generals to a 72-59 win over Dawson in the first round of the Region
IX tournament Sunday afternoon at Cougar Palace.
The
contest was tight in the first half as Sheridan forged to a 10-point lead at
17-7 only to watch Dawson come clawing back to cut the deficit to five points
on several occasions. Sheridan held a 37-29 lead at halftime.
Dawson
started the second half on an old-fashioned 3-point play from Janniqua Thomas
to cut the lead back to five points. Sheridan, however, went on a 15-0 run to
go up by 20 points 52-32 and the Buccaneers couldn’t get the lead back to
single digits after that.
Sheridan
shot 48 percent from the field and were just 2 of 9 from beyond the arc. Dawson
connected on seven 3-pointers, three from Justine Taylor, and finished the game
shooting 32 percent from the field.
Dawson
had two players in double figures. Haylee Gallegos led the way with 19 points
while Taylor had 11.
Sheridan
had four players in double figures. Nanai finished with 22 points on 10 of 15
field goal shooting. Kayla Kiriau added 17 points and pulled down seven
rebounds, while Brodie Beenett had 12 points and Jasmine Davis had 10 points.
Dawson 29
30 – 69
Sheridan 37
35 – 72
DAWSON
Keely Swander 6, Brittany Pascal 2, Justine Taylor 11,
Steph O’Sullivan 7, Haylee Gallegos 19, Bryce Mitchell 1, Janniqua Thomas 9,
Lindsey James 4.
SHERIDAN
Brodie Bennett 12, Jasmine Davis 10, Stephany Sessions 1,
Josie Three Irons 4, Kayla Kiriau 17, Milomilo Nanai 22, Madison Forney 6.
Western Wyoming
60, Trinidad 37
Emily
Moore scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to help the Western Wyoming
Community College Mustangs top Trinidad State Junior College 60-37 in the first
round of the regional tournament on Sunday at Cougar Palace.
Moore
was just one three players for the Mustangs to finish in double digits. Shanna
Halilio also had 13 points and five rebounds, while Mika Pinner had 10 points
and nine rebounds.
The Mustangs
got off to a fast start against the Trojans, running to a 15-0 lead behind
seven points form Moore and six points from Pinner. Trinidad finally made their
first field goal of the game with just over 12 minutes to play on a bucket by
Destiny Bragman.
Western
Wyoming kept rolling as Kira Miller hit back-to-back buckets for a 22-3 lead
and the Mustangs would go on to lead 35-14 at intermission.
The
second half was closer as the Mustangs outscored Trinidad 25-22 to get the win.
Western
Wyoming shot 34 percent from the field and just 14 percent (2 of 14) from
beyond the arc. Trinidad shot 31 percent of from the field and was 0 of 10 from
the 3-point line. Free throw shooting was where the Mustangs were the hottest,
connecting on 90.9 percent of their shots.
Bragman
led the Trojans in scoring with 13 points and seven rebounds.
W. Wyoming 35
25 – 60
Trinidad State 15
22 – 37
WESTERN WYOMING
Kira Miller 8, Shanna Halalio 13, Dannika Webb 2, Emily
Moore 20, Whitney Mitchell 4, Theresa Allgaier 2, Mika Pinner 10, Dani Minchow
1.
TRINIDAD STATE
Jordan Salaz 2, Stephanie Knowels 5, Jackie Bekcer 7,
Destiny Bragman 13, Codiee Myles 1, Lauren Davis 3, Samantha White 6.
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