COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team fought hard but in the end No. 25 Iowa Western Community College captured a 57-53 win Saturday evening in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Iowa Western held a 13-7 lead after one period and enjoyed a 26-21 lead at intermission.
The second half was a tighter contest as WNCC stayed with the Reivers, cutting the lead to two points on several occasions. The Cougars, however, couldn't get a bucket to tie or go ahead.
Iowa Western held a 40-33 lead after three periods and had a nine-point lead in the fourth period. The Cougars kept fighting, outscoring the Reivers in the fourth 20-17. WNCC cut the lead to 56-51 on a Bree Paulson trey with a minute to play. That was as close as the Cougars could get in falling to the 25th ranked team in the nation.
Iowa Western shot 40 percent from the game and made 14 of 27 free throws. WNCC shot just 38 percent from the field and were just 2 of 11 from beyond the arc.
WNCC held the rebounding edge over the Reivers 39-34. Sladjana Rakovic pulled down 10 defensive boards while Deniz Dalkiran and Melisa Kadic each had four.
Rakovic finished the game with a double-double, adding 14 points to her 10 boards.
Dalkiran chipped in nine pints while Paulson had eight.
WNCC, 3-2, will return home for a trio of contests next weekend. The Cougars will host Yellowstone Christian junior varsity on Thursday followed by the WNCC Classic on Friday and Saturday when Adams State junior varsity, Central Wyoming, and Laramie County Community College come to Cougar Palace.
WNCC (3-2) 7 14 12 20 – 53
Iowa Western 13 13 14 17 – 57
WNCC
Sladjana Rakovic 14, Deniz Dalkiran 9, Olivia Wiberg 4, Zenep Canbaz 4, Anastacia Johnson 2, Melisa Kadic 4, Jaleessa Avery 4, Sophie Agorakis 2, Bree Paulson 8, Giononna Silva 2.
Iowa Western
Lade Adepoju 4, Jarza Johns 14, Delia Ania-Gaja 7, Alicia Mountain 20, Melis Ucar 7, Christelle Nyauchi 2, Miya Bull 3.