Melissa Kadic poured in 20 points and the 25th ranked Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team captured their 20th win of the season with a 90-67 Region IX South Sub-region contest Friday evening at Cougar Palace.
With the win, the Cougars move to 9-1 in the South sub-region and 20-4 overall. It is the Cougar 30th straight year of winning 20 games.
Anastacia Johnson, who finished with 13 points and three 3-pointers, said this team played well Friday night.
"As a team we played outstanding," she said. "We kept the intensity the whole game and we came together as one."
When WNCC played McCook last month, the Cougars won by five on the road. Friday night was a total different story. Johnson said the difference was playing sharing the ball and playing Cougar basketball.
"The big difference was we didn't play down to their level," she said. "When we went there, we really weren't playing Cougar basketball. Then here, the number one rule is we don't lose at home so we came out and did what we needed to do."
WNCC had four players in double figures and buried 11 3-pointers. Three of the four double-figure scorers were freshman, too.
Johnson said having that kind of scoring punch right now is setting a tone for the team for the rest of the season and next year.
"That is a huge key," she said. "We also are setting a tone for next year and making sure we have people that can score for us next year. It also is a big part of us sharing the ball."
Kadic, a freshman from Utah, led the Cougars with 20 points, including burying four 3-pointers. Jaleesa Avery, another freshman, finished with 17 points while Johnson tallied 13.
Sladjana Rakovic, a sophomore that signed with the University of Wyoming earlier in the season, finished with 10 points.
WNCC trailed just once in the contest at 4-2. After that, WNCC went on a 11-0 run and finished out the first quarter leading 24-9.
WNCC kept playing pressuring defense and hitting clutch including 3-pointers from Johnson and Kadic for a 36-15 lead. After McCook cut the lead to 36-22, WNCC finished out the half as Johnson nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 44-27 halftime lead.
WNCC stayed in control in the second half, outscoring McCook 27-23 in the third period and 19-17 in the final period.
Besides the four in double figures, Bree Paulson finished with seven points with one trey, while Zeynep Canbaz tallied six points.
WNCC, 20-4, will next be in action Tuesday when they host Laramie County Community College in another South conference contest.
McCook 11 16 23 17 – 67
WNCC (20-4) 19 25 27 19 – 90
MCCOOK
Sydney Taubenheim 3, A;Leah Davis 4, Eileen Kugler 4, FayeLee Sanfrod 4, Inga Kot 6, Grayce Jorgensen 10, Erica Peet 17, Lauren Pritchard 3, Kaylea Watson 6, Colby Cox 6, Eva Ahamuwa 4.
WNCC
Melisa Kadic 20, Sladjana Rakovic 10, Kristin Gaston 5, Jaleesa Avery 17, Olivia Wiberg 2, Kellie Gaston 1, Zeynep Canbaz 6, Bree Paulson 7, Anastacia Johnson 13, Deniz Dalkiran 4, Giovanna Silva 5.