The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team never trailed and pulled down 52 rebounds in earning the 61-47 South Sub-region win over Otero College Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace.
A big win in the win for the Cougars was allowing Otero to get back-to-back buckets twice and that was it. WNCC head coach Isaac Lu said he didn't realize that his team did that, but when you can limit your opponent to not making those mini-runs, you will win most of your games.
"Despite this being an uglier game where shots were not falling, we did the two things that really matter when coming to basketball games which is defending and rebounding," Lu said. "We out-rebounded them both on the defensive and offensive glass, and we got stops when it mattered, especially in that fourth quarter where they dug deep and made sure we took away wide-open looks for their shooters and defended and not foul them in the paint. It was a great effort my then tonight."
Lu said it wasn't the prettiest game as the teams traded buckets left and right with WNCC's biggest lead coming at the final margin of 14 points.
"If our shots were falling, I think we could have blown this one open," Lu said. "That is what we need to do on a consistent basis. When teams can't make multiple baskets and we stop them going on runs, and you can make runs on your own and defend other teams from going on runs, you will be pretty successful on any given night."
WNCC and Otero were tied at 8-8 and that was when WNCC went on a 6-0 run on buckets by Laura Montiel and Faith Walker and two free throws by Mackenzie Joseph to lead 14-8 after one period.
WNCC kept the lead at three to four points through the second quarter even though Otero outscored then 16-14 and had a 6-point lead at 28-22 late before the Rattlers made the last bucket of the half. WNCC led at halftime 38-24.
The third quarter was one that both teams battled. Otero had back-to-back buckets to start the third to cut the deficit to one, 30-29, but WNCC found ways to stay in the lead as Joseph responded with a trey to make it 33-29. WNCC led 45-37 late in the third on a Montiel bucket and led 46-38 after three periods.
The fourth quarter saw the Cougars clamp down, holding Otero to just nine points while scoring 15 themselves. WNCC went up by 10 points, 55-45, on a Montiel old-fashioned 3-point play and followed that with a 3-pointer by Amiyah Donaldson. WNCC won 61-47.
Both teams shot 31 percent, but the Cougars won the game at the free-throw line. WNCC was 15-of-24 from the stripe while Otero was just 5-of-15.
WNCC also out-rebounded the Rattlers 52-44. Joseph led the way with 11 boards followed by nine from Gal-La Font and seven from Montiel. Montiel, the 5-foot-8 point guard, also led with two blocked shots.
WNCC had four in double figures, led by Donaldson and Walker with 14 points each. Joseph finished with 11 points while Montiel had 10 points.
WNCC, 18-3 overall and 3-0 in sub-region play, will be back in action next week when they travel to North Platte Community College on Tuesday and then hosting McCook Community College on Friday.
Otero 8 16 14 9 – 47
WNCC (18-3) 14 14 18 15 – 61
OTERO
Alexa Peraza 3, Anna Cera Curiel 3, Alyssa Trujillo 11, Jayden Jenkins 3, Gia Bradley 6, Nyla Owens 11, Hedda Kohne 10.
WNCC
Amiyah Donaldson 14, Ebere Egbirika 3, Gal-La Font 7, Faith Walker 14, Laura Montiel 10, Mackenzie Joseph 11, Adelina Urtane 2.