MCCOOK, Neb. – The 19th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team received 20 points from Kalli Feddersen in capturing a 63-59 win over McCook Community College in Region IX South Division play Tuesday evening.
The win moves the Cougars to 22-3 on the season but more importantly moves the Cougars to 10-1 in the South Division ahead of McCook and Otero, who each have two losses. WNCC has one South Division contest left on Thursday when Eastern Wyoming College pays visit to Cougar Palace for Dorm Parent Recognition and Sophomore Recognition night.
Tuesday's win wasn't the best shooting night by either team. It was the Cougars' fourth quarter play that won the contest. The Cougars outscored McCook 22-17 and battled back from a fourth-quarter 46-45 deficit.
WNCC retook the lead for good in the fourth on back-to-back buckets by Ozge Yarga. WNCC then hit clutch free throws, going 13 of 18 down the stretch from the charity stripe. Feddersen was hot from the charity stripe, making 11 of 12 for the night, including going 4-for-4 in the final period.
Up until then, WNCC played in spurts. WNCC held a 13-10 lead after the first quarter and led 22-14 in the second quarter before McCook went on a 11-2 run to grab a 25-24 lead. WNCC led at halftime 26-25 on a bucket by Mikayla Gonzales.
The third period saw McCook race to a 35-29 lead. That was when Feddersen and Hannah Sparks got hot, scoring eight straight points for a 37-35 WNCC lead. McCook rebounded and led 42-39 with five seconds to play when Sparks hit a bucket at the buzzer to trail Bucket 42-41 after three.
Both teams shot 32 percent from the field. WNCC out-rebounded McCook 42-35, led by nine rebounds from Feddersen and eight from Zeynep Canbaz.
WNCC had two players in double figures. After Feddersen's 20, Yarga finished with 12 points. Sparks finished with nine points.
McCook was led by Lucia Archuleta with 14 points followed by 13 from Chante Church and 12 from Brooksie McWilliams.
WNCC (22-3) 13 13 15 22 – 63
McCook (23-3) 10 15 17 17 – 59
WNCC
Kalli Feddersen 20, Sladjana Rakovic 6, Hannah Sparks 9, Zeynep Canbaz 3, Bree Paulson 3, Ozge Yarga 12, Mikayla Gonzales 6, Myriam Garcia 4.
MCCOOK
Brooksie McWilliams 12, Jovana Jovovic 8, Lucia Archuleta 14, Chante Church 13, Taylor Acosta 9, Kylee Barry 2Sofija Pejcic 1.