GOODLAND, Kan. — The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams kicked off the new year with a split of contests on Monday against Northwest Kansas Technical College in Kansas. The Lady Cougars took an easy 88-52 victory, while the men suffered a tough 77-76 loss in overtime.
The women’s game was all Cougars. After the two squads were tied early at 9-9, the Cougars went on a 19-2 run to lead 28-11 before leading 55-25 at halftime. WNCC quickly put the game away with a 21-point run that pushed the lead to 78-29 and the Cougars never looked back.
Gritt Ryder led the way with 14 points followed by Ashley Stevens with 13 while Jessica Aratani and Mikayla Brower each chipped 12 and Shalisa Moffit 11. Michelle Brassard had a near double-figure night with 9 points.
It’s the third straight win for WNCC since the NJCAA ordered the first 13 games of the season, all victories, to be forfeited for using an ineligible player. The school’s appeal of the ruling is continuing, and WNCC remains eligible for the regional and national tournaments.
The WNCC men, after getting two clutch 3-pointers by Trey Moore and Rich Williams in the waning seconds of regulation and overtime, fell to the Mavericks 77-76 in an extra 5-minute period. It was the second time the two squads have gone to overtime. WNCC won the first encounter back on Dec. 7, 96-85.
The men’s contest was a tight-knit contest from the get-go. WNCC led 32-29 in the fading seconds of the first half, but Northwest Kansas hit a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to take a 33-32 halftime lead.
The lead changed hands several times in the second half with Northwest up 68-65 when Trey Moore forced overtime as he hit a 3-pointer with 2-seconds left.
The Cougars fell behind 74-69 in the extra period when Northwest hit back-to-back 3-pointers, but WNCC tied the game with 50-seconds left on a try by Rich Williams. Neither team could score again until Northwest’s Gian Clavell made one of two free throws with 4-seconds to play for the win.
WNCC coach Russ Beck was pleased with how hard his team played while short-handed and kept fighting until the end.
“We turned the ball over too much and we gave up too many offensive rebounds,” he said. “However, we were scrappy and really competed. We had guys step up and hit huge shots. I was proud of the guys and we need to stay positive and continue to get better.”
Both WNCC teams open South Sub-Region play Tuesday at Lamar Community College. The Sub-Region home openers for both Cougars teams will be Friday at McCook Community College.