CASPER, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball team outscored Casper College 59-46, but it wasn't enough as the Thunderbirds held on for an 89-87 win over the Cougars on Tuesday in Casper, Wyoming.

                The Cougars finished the regular season at 17-13 and will open Region IX tournament play Saturday when they travel to Laramie County Community College. WNCC, with McCook's 83-77 win over North Platte on Tuesday, moved the Cougars to the sixth seed. Saturday's contest will begin at 3 p.m. in Cheyenne, Wyoming. LCCC is the third seed and are 19-11 on the season.

                Tuesday's win was one that the Cougars played their best in the second half. WNCC trailed 43-28 at halftime and then came fighting back by shooting 66 percent in the second half and slicing the lead to one point on several occasions.

                The difference in the game was free throw shooting, where the Cougars were a dismal 48.3 percent (14 of 29) while Casper wasn't much better at 59 percent (16 of 27).

                Shooting was a big key as WNCC outshot Casper 53 percent to 42 percent. Both teams nailed nine 3-pointers. Derrick Bowers led the team with five 3-pointers. He finished the game with 22 points while pulling down seven rebounds before fouling out.

                WNCC coach Russ Beck said they just dug themselves too big of a hole to climb out of.

                "We dug ourselves a big hole early turning the ball over," he said. "However, I couldn't be happier with the way we played second half. We were two or three plays away from taking down a team that had not been beat on their home floor. We showed some grit."

                Definitely, the Cougars could have folded, but they didn't as plenty of players stepped up in the second half to almost pull out the win against a Casper team that was 16-0 at home coming in. The second half comeback was highlighted by the play of Bowers and Phil Fayne. Bowers scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, including three treys. Fayne had 18 points in the second half, while Bo McVay came off the bench to score six points.

                Bowers led all scorers with 22 points. Fayne finished with 18, while Williams, Mason Smith and Michael Connor each had eight.

                The Cougars out-rebounded Casper 47-33. Tyrell Williams led the team with eight boards followed by Bowers and Leon Tomic with seven each.

WNCC                   28 59 – 87

Casper                  43 46 – 89

WNCC

Mason Smith 8, Michael Sparks 2, Derrick Bowers 22, Phil Fayne 18, Tyrell Williams 8, Daylon Harris 6, Leon Tomic 5, Michael Connor 8, Bo McVay 6, Chase Mason 4.

LCCC

Shea Garland 4, LJ Westbrook 0, Gerad Davis 21, Deante Strickland 15, Isaiah Lewis 5, Don Jarrett 8, Warren Dix 6, Harris Morgan 2, Benson Osayande 4, Vincent Franklin 4.