The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team can look back on Tuesday night's Casper College game as a learning experience after the two Region IX elites did battle at Cougar Palace Tuesday evening.
And, the Cougars will have plenty time to digest the loss that the Cougars took from Casper College 70-61 as they get ready to take the Thanksgiving break off.
It was the Cougars' second off of the season and a loss that was a tale of two halves. After a slow first half, the Cougars played more like a WNCC team that people are accustomed to seeing. It was a loss that freshman Bree Paulson said they can learn from as they continue the season.
"We can learn a lot from this game. [Coach Dave] Harnish said there a lot of things we need to work on," the freshman from Legacy High in Broomfield, Colorado, said. "I feel like we just need to put in the work and do what we do best."
The difference in the game was free throw shooting. Casper shot 82 percent 14 of 17 from the charity stripe, while the Cougars were a dismal 54 percent (19 of 35). Paulson said that is the one area of the game they need to shore up.
"Free throws are definitely important," Paulson said. "I mean it is free points so obviously we need to get in the gym on our own and shoot more of them."
On a bright side, though, the Cougars did show some feistiness in the second half, outscoring the Thunderbirds 37-30. The first half was the difference with Casper holding a 40-24 lead at the half.
"We started out flat and then the second half we came out and knew what we needed to do," Paulson said. "Unfortunately it wasn't enough. I feel like if we would have started it [the way we played in the second half] earlier, we would have had it in the bag."
Other than the shooting, the contest was a typical showdown between two Region IX powers. Casper, on the night, played lights out in the first half.
WNCC took a 4-0 lead only to watch Casper go on an 18-7 run to close out the first quarter ahead 18-11. The second quarter is where WNCC struggled. Casper build a 31-16 lead with 3:47 to play and led 34-18 after a 3-pointer. WNCC cut the lead to 12 on a Zeynep Canbaz bucket before Casper led by 16 at halftime.
The third quarter is where the Cougars showed plenty of heart and zip. After Casper made the opening bucket of the half, WNCC went on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to 42-34. WNCC closed out the third period as Kalli Feddersen knocked in an old-fashioned 3-point play to trail 53-45.
The fourth quarter saw WNCC stay tough, keeping the lead to eight and then later with 1:41 to play to six, 63-57 after a bucket by Paulson and a 3-pointer by Canbaz. The Cougar defense continued to play tough, but Casper hit some clutch free throws down the stretch, including four straight from Ada Yalein for the win.
WNCC had three players in double figures. Feddersen paced the team with 15 points along with four rebounds and four steals. Canbaz added 14 points with eight rebounds, while Sladjana Rakovic had 10 points, four rebounds and four steals.
Casper also had three in double figures. Alyssa Big Man led the way with 18 points, including four 3-pointers and six rebounds. Grace Weeks chipped in 11 points while Marina Fernandez had 10 points and two 3-pointers.
WNCC will have the Thanksgiving break to regroup, which Paulson said they will do as they get ready for three games next week including a home game on Thursday against Trinidad State Junior College before hitting the road to face Western Wyoming and Central Wyoming on the road.
"Casper is a good team and I am sure we will see them again sometime soon," Paulson said. "We will come back ready to play even harder."
Casper (7-1) 18 22 13 17 – 70
WNCC (7-2) 11 13 21 16 – 61
CASPER
Gulten Altunbulak 8, Ada Yalein 7, Monika Radomska 7, Josie Sewell 2, Alyssa Big Man 18, Gabby Johnson 7, Marina Fernandez 10, Grace Weeks 11.
WNCC
Kalli Feddersen 15, Sladjana Rakovic 10, Hannah Sparks 2, Ozge Yarga 4, Luize Skrastina 2, Ole DeLeon 3, Zeynep Canbaz 14, Bree Paulson 7, Rylee Ward 3, Mikayla Gonzales 1.
