SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – For the second time this season, Salt Lake Community College Bruins topped the Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team 82-69 in the first day of the Salt Lake Classic on Friday.

                The Cougars, who fell to the Bruins two weeks ago, kept fighting in the second contest between the two teams to the end. WNCC trailed 37-28 at intermission.

                The second half saw Salt Lake, who won the NJCAA national title a year ago, push the lead to 15 and 18 points on several occasions. Each time, though, WNCC came back to slice the lead to single digits but never could get the score to within seven points.

                The Bruins shot 46.2 percent from the field while canning 6 of 12 treys in the win.

                WNCC shot 37 percent from the field and were 6 of 20 from the 3-point area. Trent Harris and Vinnie Shahid each connected on two treys for the Cougars.

                WNCC had three players finish in double figures. Djorde Dimitrijevic finished with 18 points, including going 13 of 13 from the free throw line. Harris finished with 11 points, while Jeremy Ruffin tallied 10. RJ Palmer was just shy a double-figure nigh, finishing with nine points.

                WNCC was out-rebounded in the game 41-31. Ruffin cleaned the boards for eight rebounds, while Shahid had six and Dimitrijevic had five.

                The Cougars won the turnover battle, committing 12 to 15 for Salt Lake.

                WNCC, 4-2, will be back in action Saturday afternoon when they face Snow College in the final day of the Salt Lake Classic.

WNCC (4-2)                         28 41 – 69

Salt Lake (7-0)                    37 45 – 82

WNCC

Daylon Harris 4, Vinnie Shahid 6, Diamond Onwuka 4, Djodje Dimitrijevic 18, Jeremy Ruffin 10, Trent Harris 11, RJ Palmer 9, Michael Connor 3, Marlon Sierra 4.

SALT LAKE
Isaiah White 16, Keanu Peters 2, Christian Gray 13, TJ Oliver 21, Jake Miles 3, Dalvin Brushier 20, Matt Conway 7.