A big first half was all the Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team needed as they earned an 85-46 win over Eastern Wyoming College Tuesday evening at Cougar Palace.
Amiyah Donaldson scored 14 points to lead the Cougars, followed by 14 from Faith Walker and 10 points each from Gal-La Font and Mackenzie Joseph each with 10 points.
The win moved the Cougars to 7-1 on the season as they get ready to host the Fairfield Classic on Friday and Saturday when WNCC plays Casper and the College of Southern Idaho.
Donaldson, who scored eight of her points at the end of the first quarter, said the team played well, especially coming out of the gate.
"We played together and we played quick. We knew what we needed to do and we just executed it," the sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio, said. "This was a big win because it shows us what we can do of we keep our foot on the gas."
What was big was the Cougar's defensive intensity in, not only the first quarter where they led 30-9, but that defensive effort in the first half. WNCC led 54-22 at halftime. That defensive intensity was intense as they forced two 10-second calls in the first four minutes of the game.
"The key in the first half was going out and playing in transition, moving the ball, and being confident in our shot," she said. "Defensively we have to keep our foot on the gas and (getting those two 10-second calls) just shows how aggressive we can be if we keep putting pressure on defense."
The Cougars trailed once in the contest at 3-2 when EWC's Luna Moreno nailed a trey. After that, the Cougars went to down, scoring the next 13 points behind six points from Ebere Egbirika to lead 15-3 and kept their foot on the gas in leading 30-7 after Donaldson scored with late points, including two treys to lead 30-9 after one period.
The second quarter saw both team trade buckets but then the Cougars went on a 9-0 run behind a big steal and bucket by Laura Montiel and a 3-pointer by Helena Kuck to lead 44-13. WNCC kept firing on offense as Faith Walker scored the final seven points of the half, including a 3-pointer to lead 54-22 at halftime.
The third quarter saw WNCC outscore EWC 16-7, including back-to-back buckets by Egbirika to lead 67-26 and finally 70-29 after three periods.
EWC outscored the Cougars 17-15 in the fourth quarter. WNCC led by 44 points points at 77-33 in the fourth on a Kuck trey and ran away for the 85-46 win.
WNCC shot 46 percent from the field in the game, including 63 percent in the first half. WNCC buried nine treys in the contest with six different players netting a 3-pointer.
The Lancers shot 35 percent from the field, but were just 27 percent behind the arc with four 3-pointers.
WNCC won the rebounding battle 47-24 behind six boards from Walker and five from Kuck.
The big thing is all 12 players that played scored in the contest.
Donaldson said they need to continue playing like this over the weekend as they face two talented teams in Casper College on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and the College of Southern Idaho at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
"We have to stay focused and play our game and just be ready," she said. "We know we can do it and we are capable of going 3-0 this week."
EWC 9 13 7 17 – 46
WNCC (7-1) 30 24 16 15 – 85
EWC
Tamar Kopilevich 8, Luna Moreno 5, Danija Erakovic 2, Ali Tripp 13, Linoi Biton 2, Avery West 2, Tawny Rodriguez 2, Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia 11, Nikolina Vukcevic 1.
WNCC
Amiyah Donaldson 14, Ebere Egbirika 9, Keyla Cervantes 2, Helena Kuck 8, Gal-La Font 10, Laura Montiel 6, Faith Walker 14, Jamie Caron 5, Kiley Smich 1, Mackenzie Joseph 10, Adelina Urtane 1, Trinity Walker 5.