CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College and Laramie County Community College men's basketball teams combined for 25 3-pointers, but in the end it was the Golden Eagles from LCCC that earned the 98-80 Region IX South sub-region win over the Cougars Saturday afternoon.,

                WNCC falls to 19-6 overall and 9-3 in conference play. LCCC goes to 16-11 overall and 8-5 in conference play.

                Saturday's game saw plenty of shooting. LCCC connected on 15 3-pointers, including six from Zaire Mateen and five from Elijah Oliver. WNCC buried 10 3-pointers, four of which came from Vinnie Shahid.

                Early on the contest was back and forth with both teams knotted at 25-25. LCCC went on a little run late in the first half to hold a 47-33 lead at intermission. The second half saw the Golden Eagles bury eight treys and at one time had their largest lead of the night of 26 points with 10:53 to play.

                WNCC shot 45 percent for the game and were just 31 percent from beyond the arc. LCCC was 56 percent from the field and 49 percent from beyond the arc.

                WNCC had three players hit for double digits. Shahid led the way with 21 points followed by Jervay Green with 16 and Trent Harris with 14.

                LCCC was led in scoring by Oliver with 25 and Wyche with 22.

                WNCC will be back in action next weekend when they host Lamar Community College on Friday and Otero Junior College on Saturday. Otero is currently leading the South sub-region with a 10-2 record. WNCC lost to Otero in January in overtime at LaJunta, Colorado.

WNCC (19-6)      33 47 – 80

LCCC (16-11)       47 51 – 98

WNCC

Marlon Sierra 6, Jervay Green 16, Trent Harris 14, Vinnie Shahid 21, Djordje Dimitrijevic 3, Bryce Sanchious 6, Marko Rajanovic 8, Martin Roub 6.

LCCC

Da'Zhon Wyche 22, Zaire Mateen 18, Elijah Oliver 23, Landon Talisferro 14, Chan Margraves 2, Isaiah Dicks 4, Solomon Iluyomade 3.