LAMAR, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team lost a heart-breaking South Sub-region contest to Lamar Community College Thursday night in Lamar, Colorado, 81-78.

                The Cougars, who trailed 43-31 at halftime, battled back to take a 60-59 second-half lead, but a last second trey to send the game into overtime wasn't to be.

                The loss drops the Cougars to 15-12 on the season. More importantly, it makes Tuesday's final regular season home contest with North Platte Community a crucial contest if WNCC hopes to host a first-round Region IX tournament game.

                WNCC is now 4-7 in conference standings and tied with Northeastern Junior College. The South winner gets a bye in the regional tournament and the next three teams will host a first-round playoff game. McCook is setting in the final spot to host right now at 4-6. Lamar is in the second spot at 5-5. North Platte is at 3-6 with three games left including contests this weekend against the top two teams in the South in Otero and Trinidad State.

                Thursday's contest was one where WNCC jumped to a 5-0 lead behind five points from Carter Brown. Lamar came back to lead 10-5 and later 14-7. WNCC responded and retook the lead at 17-16 on a Them Koang bucket.

                The Runnin' Lopes followed with a 15-0 run to lead 31-17 and led 43-31 at halftime.

                The second half saw a totally different Cougar team take the floor. WNCC opened the half on three straight treys from Agwa Nywesh, Brown, and Biko Johnson to cut the deficit to 43-40. Lamar went back up 48-40 only to watch the Cougars come back with a 16-2 run to lead 56-50 on a Brown 3-pointer.

                WNCC couldn't hold the lead as Lamar outscored WNCC 15-4 to lead 65-60. Lamar later led 70-63 and that was when the Cougars made a run.

                The Cougars cut the lead to 72-70 on a Brown 3-pointer. Lamar went back in front 78-73. Lamar led 79-75 with 39 seconds to play when Brown drained his sixth 3-pointer of the game with 28 seconds to play. Lamar made one of two free throws to make it 80-78. WNCC had a chance to tie the game, but missed two charity tosses with 21 seconds to play.

                WNCC immediately fouled and Lamar made one of two free throws for the 81-78 lead with 17 seconds to play. WNCC tried to get a tying 3-pointer, but Lamar was playing tight on all of the Cougars' 3-point shooters and a Nywesh desperation 3-pointer came inches short of going in.

                The Cougars were led by Brown with 22 points. Brown had six treys in the contest.

                Also hitting double digits was Koang and Rodney Sawyer each with 13 points. Sawyer had four 3-pointers in the contest. Johnson also had 10 points followed by Nywesh and Chancelor Johnson each with nine points.

                WNCC finished with 35 rebounds to Lamar's 41. The big difference in the game was turnovers. WNCC committed 19 turnovers to eight for Lamar.

                WNCC will look to wrap up the regular season with a win on Tuesday when they host North Platte Community College in a key sub-region contest at 6 p.m. That game could give the winner a home game in the Region IX tourney first round next weekend.

WNCC (15-12)                    31 47 – 78

Lamar (14-10)                    43 38 – 81

WNCC

Carter Brown 22, Agwa Nywesh 9, Chancelor Johnson 9, Them Koang 13, Rodney Sawyer 13, Biko Johnson 10, Mamadou Sow 2.