ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team had a 30-point second quarter to help the Cougars to an 80-61 win over Laramie County College Community College in the second day of a classic in Rock Springs, Wyoming on Saturday.
The Cougars, in the win, buried 10 3-pointers and put five players in double figures for the team's fourth win of the young season.
Faith Walker, a sophomore, said this was a big win after falling to Western Wyoming Community College on Friday.
"I think it meant a lot (to come back after the loss)," Walker said. "It showed us that we are a good team and that we just need to play hard every game. We're a good team, I think we just forget that sometimes."
WNCC started Saturday's contest slow once again, just like they did against Western Wyoming on Friday. The only difference between the two games is the Cougars put that slow start behind them and came out in the second quarter and outscored the Golden Eagles 30-13 to grab a 45-31 lead at halftime.
Walker said that second quarter was key in the win.
"We played great," Walker said. "We started to hustle more and our pressure started to get to them I think. Our defensive really helped and it changed the game"
The Cougars trailed 18-13 late in the first quarter before Mackenzie Joseph made a shot to slice the deficit to 18-15 heading into the second quarter.
The second quarter saw the Cougars take charge early. LCCC led 20-18 when WNCC 20-5 run to lead 38-24. During the run, Ebere Egbirika had five points with a trey and a steal and bucket while Helena Kuck hit a triple to put the Cougars up double digits, 34-24 with 4:10 to play. WNCC led at intermission 45-31.
WNCC kept playing hard in the third quarter as they build a 60-35 lead with about two minutes to play in the frame behind two triples from Kuck and a big trey from Laura Montiel to lead 62-42 after three.
The fourth quarter was one where neither team got on huge runs. WNCC led 70-50 before LCCC cut the Cougar lead to 11 at 70-59. WNCC closed out the contest scoring seven of the last points.
WNCC was led in scoring by Kuck with 16 points with four triples while Montiel had 15 points and two triples. Egbirika had 13 points followed by Gal-La Font with 11 and Joseph with 10.
WNCC will be back in action next weekend when they travel with the men's tournament to a classic in Powell, Wyoming, to face Northwest College on Friday and Central Wyoming College on Saturday.
Walker said this team is improving each game and they will work hard next week to continue improving.
"We're getting better every day. We just need to do better when it comes to teams that can compete with us," she said. "For next week, I think we need to move the ball more, make plays for one another, and play inside-out. We take good shots, better shots. I think our offensive needs a little bit of work and moving without the ball and rebounding as well."
WNCC (4-1) 15 30 17 18 – 80
LCCC (2-2) 18 13 11 19 – 61
WNCC
Amiyah Donaldson 5, Ebere Egbirika 13, Helena Kuck 16, Gal-La Font 11, Laura Montiel 15, Faith Walker 1, Kiley Smich 6, Mackenzie Joseph 10, Adelina Urtane 3.
LCCC
Lylah Spring 12, Jessica Bakhsh 4, Kelly Megown 18, Blanche Toualeu 20, Tamara Smith-White 5, Tyra Lovelock 2.