RIVERTON, Wyo. – the No. 14 Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team sank 15 3-pointers and put five players in double figures in registering an 111-106 win over Central Wyoming College in both team's season-opening game Thursday evening in Riverton, Wyoming.

                WNCC held a slim 54-52 lead at intermission and then scored 57 points in the second half for the win.

                The Cougars will be back in action at 3 p.m. when they face No. 3 College of Southern Idaho in Riverton before returning home for a contest next Wednesday when they host Colby Community College at 6 p.m.

                Thursday's game had very little defense. The two squads combined for 28 3-pointers. WNCC had 15 treys, Scottsbluff's Dru Kuxhausen led the offensive long-range attack with five treys while finishing with 19 points.

                Bryce Sanchious led the Cougars in scoring with 25 points, including three 3-pointers and going 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

                Jervay Green, the University of Nebraska verbal commitment, finished with 24 points and two treys, while Henry Tanksley had 17 points and four 3-pointers. Martin Roub finished with a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

                WNCC enjoyed a 54-41 rebound advantage. Kuxhausen and Sanchious each had seven rebounds while Tanksley had six.

                WNCC converted 19-of-33 free throws compared to 13-of-20 for the Rustlers.

                WNCC held double-digit leads on a couple occasions in the first half before the 54-52 halftime lead. Central Wyoming took its first lead of the game in the second half when they led 67-66. Central Wyoming led 79-75 late only to watch WNCC go up 87-81 on a Green bucket.

                The Cougars led 98-92 with 4:31 to play after a Tanksley trey, a Green lay-in, and a Sanchious dunk. Central Wyoming came back to tie the game at 98 only to watch WNCC outscore the Rustlers 13-8 the rest of the way.

WNCC (1-0)                         54 57 – 111

C. Wyoming (0-1)             52 54 – 106

WNCC
Dru Kuxhausen 19, Bryce Sanchious 25, Henry Tanksley 17, Jervay Green 24, Martin Roub 15, Elie Cadat 8, JyDonn Griffith 2.

CENTRAL WYOMING

Jamison Washington 13, David Simental 27, Connor Nelson 19, Jerroda Briscoe 13, Brady Fullerton 5, Jacob Smith 10, James Woods 7, Darius Guinn 7, Devin Rottweiller 5.