MCCOOK – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team put four players in double figures and overcame a halftime deficit to register a Region IX South Sub-region win over McCook Community College 68-56 Friday evening in McCook.

                The Cougars had a totally different half as the Cougar women shot just 27 percent from the field in the first half and were 10 percent from beyond the arc. The second half was a totally different story as the Cougars shot 55 percent and 33 percent from the 3-point area as WNCC outscored the Indians 42-28 to claim the win.

                The first quarter was tight with both teams feeling each other. WNCC led 12-8 and later 14-10 before leading 16-14 at the end of the first quarter.

                The second quarter saw McCook tie the game at 19-19 on a 3-pointe, but WNCC came back to take a 24-20 lead. The Cougars led 26-23 when McCook scored the final five points of the half to lead at intermission 28-26.

                The third quarter saw McCook up 32-30 before the Cougars went on a 9-0 run that was led by Shiho Isono with a trey and a bucket by Rashaan Smith to put the Cougars up 39-32. WNCC closed out the half leading 47-39.

                The fourth quarter saw WNCC go up 51-43 on a free throw by Faith Walker. Things changed as McCook went on a 9-3 run to cut the Cougar lead to just three, 54-51. WNCC rebounded as Jayla Owen hit a three and then Mackenzie Joseph had a bucket to put WNCC up by 10, 61-51.

                WNCC kept playing well in the final stanza as they closed out the game on a six run and holding McCook scoreless the last three minutes of the contest.

                A big reason for the Cougars win was free throw shooting. The Cougars went to the line 43 times and cashed in on 25 of those charity stripes. McCook was just 13-of-19 from the free throw line.

                WNCC placed four in double figures in a very balanced scoring column. Ola Duda finished with a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Duda also had fur blocks and two assists.

                Owen also tallied 12 points in the win while Isono and Smith each had 11 points.

                WNCC, 12-7 and 1-0 in conference play, will be back in action next weekend when they travel to Otero College on Friday and Trinidad State College on Saturday afternoon.

WNCC (12-7)      16 10 21 21 – 68

McCook               14 14 11 17 – 56

WNCC

Mackenzie Joseph 9, Ola Duda 12, Shiho Isono 11, Jayla Owen 12, Bre Fowler 4, Yara Garcia 8, Faith Walker 1, Rashaan Smith 11.

MCCOOK

Vanessa Jurewicz 17, Taryn Lindsey 6, Marta Moya Perez 7, Noa Iglesias Chorda 7, Natalie Harmata 8, Rebecca Dunn 2, Itziar Aransay Badia 9.