MCCOOK – The Western Nebraska Community College men's and women's basketball teams had a rough day shooting as the two teams dropped South Sub-region contests to McCook Community College Sunday afternoon in McCook.
The 9th-ranked WNCC women made just one 3-pointer while McCook buried 14 as the Indians charged past the Cougars 65-57 in action Sunday.
The Cougar men put two players in double figures but couldn't get the win in falling to McCook 84-72 in South Sub-region action Sunday.
The WNCC women led just twice in the contest after a first quarter that saw both teams battle back and forth. McCook jumped to a 9-4 lead but WNCC came back to slice the deficit to 11-10 on a Lidsey Mahoukou bucket. McCook led 13-10 but WNCC came back to tie the game at 13-13 on a Alejah Douglas bucket to end the first quarter tied at 13-13.
WNCC grabbed its first lead of the game as Ky Buell buried two free throws to start the second quarter. WNCC went up 18-16 with 6:50 to play as Buell buried a trey. That, however, was the last time WNCC would score for over five minutes as McCook ran off a 15-0 scoring streak to lead 31-18. WNCC stopped the streak as Mahoukou buried two free throws with 1:04 to play in the half. McCook led at halftime 34-20.
The third quarter saw WNCC cut the McCook lead to single digits at 41-32 on two Martrice Brooks free throws. WNCC trailed after three 49-36.
WNCC heated up in the fourth quarter, opening the final 10 minutes on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to four points, 49-45. McCook pushed the lead back to nine, 54-45, only to watch the Cougars come back to trail 54-49 and then 57-52 after an old-fashioned 3-point play by Brooks. WNCC, however, never could get the lead to within five and fell 65-57.
WNCC shot just 31 percent from the field and were just six percent from beyond the arc (1-of-16). WNCC was 16 of 18 from the charity stripe. McCook shot 42 percent from the field and shot 56 percent from beyond the arc (14 of 25).
Douglas led the Cougars with 21 points followed by Mahoukou with 18. Brooks chipped in 10 while Buell had six. Shanti Henry was the only other Cougar to score in the game with two points.
The men's game was a battle as the McCook men and the Cougars battled. McCook never trailed in the contest and led 41-32 at halftime.
The second half saw McCook build a 24-point lead with 2:32 left before WNCC made a comeback before falling by 12, 84-72. McCook only outscored WNCC 43-40 in the second half.
WNCC had just two in double figures. Chase Thompson led the way with 12 points followed by Tyler Mack with 11. Carter Brown and Tayler Johnson each had nine points.
WNCC shot 41 percent from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc (8-of-25).
McCook shot 52.5 percent from the field and 46 percent from the 3-point area (11-of-24).
Both WNCC basketball teams will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado, for key South Sub-region contests. The WNCC women dropped to 12-4 on the season and are now in second place in the sub-region at 3-2, two games out of first place behind Otero Junior College. The winner of the south sub-region hosts the regional tournament.
Tuesday's opponent, NJC, is 5-7 on the season and 2-2 in the sub-region.
The Cougar men are 7-8 on the season and just 1-4 in sub-region play. NJC is 11-5 overall and 5-2 in sub-region play.
Women's Game
WNCC 13 7 16 21 – 57
McCook 13 21 15 16 – 65
WNCC
Alejah Douglas 21, Ky Buell 6, Lidsey Mahoukou 18, Martrice Brooks 10, Shanti Henry 2.
Men's Game
WNCC 32 40 -- 72
McCook 41 43 – 84
WNCC
Chase Thompson 12 Tyler Mack 11, Agwa Nywesh 7, Issad Solano 5, Them Koang 8, Carter Brown 9, Jasiya DeOlles 2, Tayler Johnson 9, Michael Bradley 4, Turumbil Zaki 3.