The Cougars will get their chance on Sunday as they will take on Northwest (Wyo.) College, who were a 66-57 winners over Western Wyoming Saturday evening in the second day of the regional tournament at Cougar Palace. The Cougars earned a first-round bye as the host team and will step onto the courts a 5 p.m. for their match-up with the Trappers. The Cougar players can’t wait to get on the court.
“We are really excited to play and to have the amazing opportunity to play on our home court for the regional tournament,” freshman Amber Kistler said. “We all know if we come out and play Western Nebraska basketball, there is nothing to worry about.”
Other games on Sunday will see Sheridan College take on Otero, who was a 62-44 winner over McCook at 1 p.m.; Casper facing Northeast Nebraska a 60-59 winner over Lamar Community College at 3 p.m. and Northeastern Colorado facing Miles Community College, who defeated Central Wyoming 51-43, at 7 p.m. The winners advance to the semifinals on Monday beginning at 5 p.m.
Kistler, who played her high school ball at Bayard, said they have learned what it takes to win at the regional tournament just by watching the first round.
“You have to want it more than anything,” she said. “It’s all or nothing at this point. Anything can happen.”
It won’t be no picnic when WNCC faces Northwest in the quarterfinals. Kistler said they need to come out strong from the get go and play well defensively.
“We are going to need to play solid defensively and shut down the other teams offense,” Kistler said. “We need to execute offensively. We are going to have to leave everything on the court each time we step on it.”
They will need a fine-tuned offensive and defensive effort it against Northwest, who have a dominating inside outside game led by Erin Cooke. Cooke had a double-double and almost single-handedly beat the Mustangs, finishing with 29 points and 17 rebounds. The Trappers held the rebounding edge over the Mustangs 35-22.
The contest, however, was close as Northwest held a 30-24 lead at halftime. The Trappers pushed the lead to double digits, leading 50-36 in the second half. Western Wyoming, however, came fighting back behind back-to-back 3-pointers by Lindee McKinley and Lacy Larson, slicing the lead to 51-42.
The Mustangs continued hammering away cutting the lead to 56-52 on a Kami Johnson bucket with about three minutes to play, and then getting to within three points, 57-54, after Larson canned another 3-pointer.
Northwest sank clutch free throws down the stretch, nailing 4 of 8 to get the win and advance to play WNCC at 5 p.m.
Northwest shot 58 percent from the field, including 4 of 10 from the beyond the arc. The Trappers were also 14 of 26 from the free throw line.
Besides Cooke, Larissa Crump finished with 12 points, while Sheena Ryan had 11 points.
Western Wyoming shot 44 percent from the field, but were 6 of 20 from 3-point range. The Mustangs were also just 1 of 2 from the free throw line.
The Mustangs had three players in double figures, led by McKinley’s 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Sami Cornelison had 12 pints, while Johnson had 10.
Northwest
Western Wyo. 24 33 – 57
NORTHWEST
Sheena Ryan 11, Lacey Gilmer 2, Larissa Crump 12, Gita Grava 9, Kati Oliverson 3, Erin Cooke 29.
WESTERN WYOMING
Michelle Carver 4, Lacy Larsen 7, Sami Cornelison 12, Lindee McKinley 15, Collette Crystal 2, Kada Williams 5, Brittany Harms 2, Kami Johnson 10.
Otero 62, McCook 44
Otero received 21 points and three 3-pointers from Heather Andersen as the Rattlers fought of a McCook second half comeback to post the 62-44 victory to move into the quarterfinals.
The Rattlers raced to a 32-16 halftime lead with a defense that shut down the McCook offense late in the first half. McCook shot just 21 percent from the line in the first half compared to 42 percent for Otero.
The second half as a different story as McCook played well. Otero jumped out to a 40-18 lead on a Bailey Wilkins 3-pointer. McCook came storming back, going on a 20-8 to run to cut the deficit to 48-38. During that run, the Indians received four key 3-pointers from Britney Bunker, Alexa Ward and two from Emmalee Fladland.
McCook cut the lead to single digits moments later, 48-40, on a bucket by Bunker with 7:30 to play. Otero changed the momentum as they hit clutch free throws down t he stretch to take the victory.
Otero shot 36 percent from the field, including 15-of-22 from the free throw line. Only two Rattlers finished in double figures. Besides Andersen’s 21, Kari Ameling had 14 points to go with her 11 rebounds.
McCook shot 25 percent from the field for the game and was just 8 of 23 from the free throw line. The Indians were just 6 of 27 from the 3-point arc. Ward and Fladland each finished with 11 points each.
Otero advances to play Sheridan Sunday at 1 p.m.
Otero JC
MCCOOK COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Alexa Ward 11, Michelle Price 3, Sierra Guy 7, Emmalee Fladland 11, Syklar Johnson 7, Britney Bunker 5.
OTERO JUNIOR COLLEGE
Heather Andersen 21, Desiree Marrfo 8, Rachelle Tilavea 6, Bailey Wilkins 7, Alex Dunn 4, Kari Ameling 14, Upuia Fui 2.
NE Nebraska 60, Lamar 59
The Northeast (Neb.) Community College Hawks survived an upset challenge from Lamar Community College in registering a 60-59 win in a game that went down to the wire.
The No. 3 seed Runnin’ Lopes were looking for the upset over the No. 2 seed Hawks and after one half, Lamar was in control, leading 29-26. Lamar led the last 10 minutes of the first half and actually had a 26-19 lead after two buckets by Ruchelle McCracken and two free throws by Kathryn Clouser. Northeast fought back to climb within 29-25 on a Elisha Foley 3-pointer.
In the second half, Northeast started to run away with the game, leading 52-43 on a Sofie Lundberg 3-pointer with 9:15 to play.
Lamar fought back, going on a 12-3 run to tie the score at 55 with 5:44 to play. Eli Cosme-Gonzalez led the charge with back-to-back, coast-to-coast drives. Northeast answered right back as Foley drained a 3-pointer after a timeout to put the Hawks up 58-55.
Lamar kept fighting as Clouser and Morgan Smith canned back-to-back buckets with 1:30 to play. Clouser’s bucket was an offensive putback.
Neither team scored until there was 30 seconds left in the game as Jasmine Lovejoy had an offensive rebound putback to put the Runnin’ Lopes up 60-59. Lamar came down the court and missed a shot. Northeast, with just 4.5 ticks on the clock, lost the ball and a last second heave from just inside the 3-point arc fell short with the Hawks surviving.
Lamar held the advantage on the boards, out-rebounding Northeast 52-29 as Clouser collected 10 boards and Cosme-Gonzalez had 11. Clouser paced the Lopes with 10 points, while Cosme-Gonzalez had 11.
Northeast, who shot just 35 percent from the field and were 8 of 22 from beyond the arc, had two players in double figures. Lovejoy finished with 15 points, while Foley had 10 points and three 3-pointers. Raelene Buschow led the team with 10 rebounds.
Northeast advances to play Casper College Sunday at 3 p.m.
Lamar CC 29 30 -- 69NE Nebraska 26 34 -- 60
LAMAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Kathryn Clouser 17, Morgan Smith 7, Eli Cosme-Gonzalez 8, Jami Cagle 10, Krystine George 2, Charlotte Epperson 2, Camille Rand 2, Ruchelle McCracken 11.
NORTHEAST NEBRASKA
Stephanie Robinson 5, Jasmine Lovejoy 15, Dawn Bonnell 9, Mairead McNally 5, Elisha Foley 10, Whitley Smiley 2, Sofie Lundberg 6, Raelene Buschow 8.
Miles 51, Central Wyoming 43
The Miles Community College women avoided an upset by outscoring Central Wyoming College 16-7 in the final five minutes to move on to face Northeastern Colorado in the quarterfinals.
Central Wyoming held a 26-16 lead late in the first half and then had to settle for a 26-20 halftime lead as Beata Bak scored four straight points.
In the second half, Central Wyoming went cold from the field early, shooting just 33 percent from the field. The Rustlers scored just four points in the first 10 minutes of the half. In the meantime, the Pioneers started to use the size advantage in moving out to a 45-38 lead with 1:42 to play.
Central came back, cutting the lead to 45-42 with 35.8 seconds to play on two Sakia Schaefer free throws. But Miles’ Kristen Brady hit a key bucket and then converted on two free throws to give Miles the win.
Miles was led in scoring by Bak and Brady each with 14 points. Bak also pulled down six rebounds. Shannon Hildreth finished the contest with seven rebounds.
Central Wyoming, who out-rebounded the much taller Pioneers 46-36, was the victim of poor shooting, especially from the 3-point arc. Central made just 4 of 22 3-pointers. Central was led in scoring by Hope White with 15 points, including three 3-pointers.
Central Wyo. 26 17 – 43Miles C.C.
CENTRAL WYOMING
Sakia Schaefer 2, Hope White 15, Lynzee Crosland 2, Brooke Tolman 7, Nicole Merrill 6, Jeri Jacobson 6, Rachel Mundy 1, Mele Lutui 4.
MILES COMMUNTIY COLLEGE
Cassie May 2, Shannon Hildreth 5, Sara Plavljanin 6, Beata Bak 14, Dale Samuels 6, Kristen Brady 14, Dina Fritz 2, Marni Magnuson 6.
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