LA JUNTA, Colo. – The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team won the South Sub-region with a perfect 10-0 conference mark in knocking down 14 3-pointers with a 92-79 win over Otero Junior College Friday night.

                WNCC finished the regular season with a 26-1 record and a 24-game winning streak. WNCC won the South sub-region and will get a bye into the Region IX Tournament that will be held March 5-7 in either Casper or Gillette. Otero drops to 8-2 in conference and 20-5 overall. Otero, as the number 2 seed in the south, will face the No. 8 seed in the North in a first-round playoff game next weekend.

                Both teams shot well in the game. WNCC finished with 41 percent shooting and were 38 percent from beyond the arc, making 14 treys. Taylor Joplin led the way with four treys, followed by three 3-pointers each from Tishara Morehouse and Yuliyana Valcheva. R'Manie Pulling and Maddy Campbell each had two.

                Otero shot 42 percent for the game and 46 percent from beyond the arc, making 11 treys.

                The difference in the game was free throws where WNCC made 20 of 32 and Otero 14 of 18.

                WNCC held a slim 25-17 lead after one quarter and took a 44-37 into halftime.

                The third quarter saw the Cougars hold a slim 61-57 lead. It was the fourth quarter that saw WNCC open up the game, scoring 31 points. WNCC opened the slim 4-point lead after three to 16 points, 76-60 on 3-pointers by Joplin, Morehouse and Valcheva. WNCC never let Otero to get within single digits the rest of the game as they earned the 92-79 win.

                WNCC had four players in double figures. Joplin led the Cougars with 22 points with four treys, 4-of-4 from the free throw line along with seven rebounds.

                Morehouse tallied 20 points with three treys. Morehouse also had nine rebounds and six assists.

                Valcheva tallied 19 points with two 3-pointers and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

                Lidsey Mahoukou also had double digits with 10 points.

                Otero had three in double figures, led by Drea Nelson with 25 points and seven 3-pointers.

WNCC                   25 19 17 31 – 92

Otero                    18 19 20 22 – 72

WNCC

Tishara Morehouse 20, Yuliyana Valcheva 19, R'Manie Pulling 8, Taylor Joplin 22, Lidsey Mahoukou 10, Georgia Berry 3, Dezmonea Antwine 3, Maddy Campbell 7.

OTERO

Drea Nelson 25, Cha Fariley 20, Leah Maufa 16, Emma Florez 5, Kailey Brown 2, Daija Robbins 9, Grace Lay 2.