MCCOOK – Dru Kuxhausen scored 30 points and the Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball topped McCook Community College 91-85 in a Region IX South Sub-region game Tuesday in McCook.
The win moves the Cougars to 18-6 overall but more importantly, the Cougars move back into first place of the South Sub-region with a 6-1 record after Northeastern Junior College topped North Platte Community College 80-70 on Tuesday.
The win was a battle between both teams. WNCC held a slim 40-36 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Cougars built a near double-digit lead only to watch McCook slice the lead to two, 72-70. WNCC came back, hitting clutch shots to go back ahead by six points, 85-79, on a Bryce Sanchious bucket. McCook cut the lead to two points with under 20 seconds to play, but Kuxhausen hit four free throws in the final seconds to preserve the win.
WNCC shot 51 percent for the field, but the most important statistic was free throw shooting where the Cougars were 14 of 18.
McCook shot 45 percent from the field and buried 12 3-pointers.
WNCC put three players in double figures. Kuxhausen led all scorers with 30 points, including six 3-pointers and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe.
Sanchious and Jervay Green followed with 21 and 20 points respectively. Sanchious pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while Green dished off a team-high seven assists.
WNCC, 18-6, will be back in action on Monday when they host Eastern Wyoming College in the first of three straight home contests. Monday's doubleheader begins at 5:30 p.m. with the women's contest followed by the men's game.
WNCC (18-6) 40 51 – 91
McCook (9-13) 36 49 – 85
WNCC
Dru Kuxhausen 30, Marquis White 6, Bryce Sanchious 21, Jervay Green 20, Martin Roub 6, LeBeck Warren 2, TJ O'Connor 4, Henry Tanksley 2.
MCCOOK
Amadou Dieye 12, Peanut Cunningham 18, Ronald Rice 2, Miles Black 6, Tyrek Battle-Holley 10, Avanthony Banks 12, Mardrez McBride 20, Antonije Petrovic 2, Anani Ikechukwu 3.