WNCC women top Northwest Kansas on Friday

                The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team played a strong first 10 minutes in capturing their 13^th win of the season with a 71-57 win over Northwest Kansas Technical College Friday evening at Cougar Palace.

                The Cougar women was totally sharp as the rust from the holiday break was still evident, especially in the second half.

                “We carried things over from the first semester where we don’t defend and we turn the ball over. Then, again, we got out-rebounded,” WNCC coach Dave Harnish said. “In some games we get out played but we play good enough to win. We just don’t play well for a whole game.”

                The Cougars did start the game like a rejuvenated team for the first 10 minutes. WNCC bolted to an 11-5 lead on a Shalisa Moffit 3-pointer and continued excelling, jumping out to a 22-8 lead on a 3-pointer by Allyson Vasquez.

                The Cougars were also playing strong defense as they held the Mavericks to just 10 points through the first 10 minutes and Northwest’s Nyachiang Bile had all 10 points. WNCC moved to 31-10 on another Vasquez 3-pointer and four points from Kaylee Biddell to lead with nine minutes left in the half.

                Things changed after that as Northwest Kansas outscored WNCC 21-5 over the next seven minutes to slice the lead to 38-31. The Mavericks comeback was helped by an off-balance 3-pointer that Bile nailed as the shot clock was going off.

                WNCC did close out the first half scoring six straight points to take a 44-31 lead into the locker room.

                The Cougars started the second half well, scoring the first 10 points to lead 54-32. The Cougars even led 62-36 after a Angela Vigil 3-pointer and bucket with 10 minutes to play. Northwest kept fighting late to 14, 69-55, but it wasn’t enough as WNCC picked up the win.

                WNCC outshot Northwest from the field 39 percent to 37 percent. The Cougars also converted on six 3-pointers to the Mavericks four.

                Rebounding, though, was the big key for the Cougars. Northwest out-rebounded the Cougars 42-31. Northwest pulled down 19 defensive boards and limited the Cougars second-chance points.

                WNCC had three players in double figures, led by Ashley Stevens with 16 points. Biddell and Vigil each pitched in 10 points, followed by Vasquez with nine, and Moffit and Laurin Rivera with eight each.

                WNCC will look for its second win in as many days on Saturday when they face McCook Community College at 2 p.m. at Cougar Palace in a sub-region contest.

NW Kansas         31 26 – 57

WNCC (13-3)      44 27 – 71

NORTHWEST KANSAS

Cindy Demosthene 12, Karla Hall 2, Nyachiang Bile 24, Biag Mayak 6, Rayven Thomas 11, Caeli Goodson 2.

WNCC

Allyson Vasquez 9, Laurin Rivera 8, Shalisa Moffit 8, Lyndie Puckett 2, Abi Lujan 2, Angela Vigil 10, Liz Dogen 2, Ashley Stevens 16, Kaylee Biddell 10, Lile Haili 2, Oliva Vogel 2.