Friday, February 21, 2014

WNCC set for last home game of season against Lamar



                The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team has definitely picked it up another notch since suffering a 65-63 loss to Eastern Wyoming College on Jan. 24.
                Since that loss, the Cougars have reeled off seven straight wins, including a dominating performance Tuesday night against Eastern Wyoming in which they led from start to finish in claiming the 30-point win, 76-46.
                The Cougar women remain on top of the South Sub-region standings at 8-2 with just two contests to go this weekend. Friday’s home contest against Lamar Community College and then Saturday’s away game with Northeastern Junior College will go a long ways in the team’s moral heading into next month’s regional tournament.
                Friday’s men’s and women’s doubleheader with Lamar begins at 5:30 with the women’s game. The night will also be the last home game for six sophomores, three each on the men’s and women’s team. Playing their last games in Cougar Palace for the women will be Laurin Rivera, Shalisa Moffit, and Ashley Stevens, while DouDou Gueye, Youssoupha Kane, and Joel Einfeldt will be on Cougar Palace for the last time for the men.
                What makes Friday’s contest more intriguing on the women’s side is that Lamar actually beat WNCC earlier in the season 76-69, and WNCC even at halftime 37-30. But, it was ruled later that Lamar had to forfeit both wins against WNCC and EWC. The two losses shuffled the regional standings putting WNCC on top.
                The Lamar women are a dangerous team, however. The Runnin’ Lopes are averaging 89.8 points a game and have scored over 100 points in eight of their games, including the last two when they beat Trinidad State 103-82 and then Colorado Christian junior varsity 104-76.
                Lamar also brings a team that not only 16-11 on the season, but they feature an offense that substitutes five players at a time every two minutes or more. The Runnin’ Lopes are led by sophomore Ellie Stevens, who is averaging 14.3 points a game, followed by Ariel Rosa at 9.8 points. The Lopes are also averaging 12 3-pointers a game.  
                WNCC has turned its season around during the last month. The Cougars are averaging 76 points a game while giving up a Region IX low 55 points a game. The Cougars offense consists of an inside-outside game that is led by Ashley Stevens, who is averaging 14.4 points a game and Lile Havili at 11.1 points. The two post players are also averaging six rebounds a game.
                The Cougar women are also getting plenty of outside support with Laurin Rivera and Shalisa Moffit averaging 10 and nine points a game. The Cougars have also been bolstered by strong outside shooting by Angela Vigil and Lyndie Puckett. Moffit leads the team with 32 made treys followed by Puckett with 29. Puckett is connecting on 48.3 percent of her shots.
                After this weekend’s contests, the Cougar women will compete in the Region IX tournament, but the site is yet to be determined as the host will come from the north subregion. Right now Western Wyoming Community College is in position to host with an 11-3 mark, but Casper and Dawson are tied for second with four losses. Western Wyoming visits Dawson for a key subregion game Thursday night.
                The men’s games this weekend are also down to the wire. The Cougars snapped a 3-game losing skid on Tuesday with a 101-90 win over Eastern Wyoming College, but the Cougar men’s final two games won’t be easy against two teams that are talented.
                Friday’s opponent, Lamar, comes in with an 11-17 record but they have won eight of their last 10 games since they defeated WNCC on Jan. 18, 61-55.
                The Cougar men will finish off the regular season Saturday at Northeastern Junior College. NJC is in the driver’s seat to host the regional tournament with an 11-3 subregion record with North Platte closely behind at 11-4. The Plainsmen, who are 24-3 on the season and ranked xx in the nation, have an away game at Eastern Wyoming on Thursday and then a contest against WNCC on Saturday.

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