TWIN FALLS, Idaho – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team played strong first-half defense as they captured a 73-65 win over Utah State Eastern Friday in the first day of the Coca-Cola Invite in Twin Falls, Idaho.

                The Cougars, 6-1, held the Eagles to just 20 points in the first half enroute to a 35-20 halftime lead.

                The Cougars didn't allow Utah State back-to-back baskets in the first half. WNCC and Utah State were knotted at 4-4 and that was when the Cougars went on a 7-0 run that was highlighted by a 3-pointer by Zozefine Sipolina for an 11-4 lead. The Cougars led 16-11 after the first quarter.

                Utah State Eastern made the opening 3-pointer of the second quarter, but the Cougars responded with an 8-0 run that saw Helena Kuck get a triple and the Cougars led 24-14. WNCC scored the final five points of the half on a nice move by Nataly Dunka and then a 3-pointer that beat the buzzer by Lidia Hernandez for the 35-20 halftime lead.

                The third quarter saw the Cougars get outscored 22-16 and saw their lead sliced to six, 43-37. The Cougars came back with a bucket by Dunka and a triple by Sipolina to lead 51-42 after three.

                The final 10 minutes saw the Eagles outscore the Cougars 14-5 to tie the contest at 56-56 with 612 to play. The Eagles took their first lead since the opening bucket at 59-57 on a 3-pointer.

                WNCC responded as they picked up the defense and went on a 7-0 run to lead 63-59 behind six points from Dunka. Utah State stopped the run with a bucket, but the Cougars went on a 6-0 run that saw buckets by Dunka and Laura Montiel and two free throws by Kuck with 43.7 seconds to play and a 69-61 lead.

                Both teams practically equal in shooting. WNCC shot 42.4 percent from the field to Utah State Eastern's 42.6 percent. The Cougars buried eight 3-pointers to five for the Eagles. WNCC held the free throw advantage, going 15-of-19 from the charity stripe to 8-of-9 for the Eagles.

                WNCC put four in double figures led by Dunka with 22 points with eight rebounds. Sipolina had 17 points with four 3-pointers, while Adelina Urtane had 11 points and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Hernandez finished with 10 points with four rebounds.

                WNCC will wrap up the Coca-Cola Invite when they battle the host squad College of Southern Idaho Saturday afternoon. WNCC will then come home to host Central Wyoming College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. before hitting the road for a Thanksgiving Classic at Salt Lake Community College.

WNCC                                16 19 16 22 – 73
USU-Eastern                  11 9 22 23 – 65
WNCC
Helena Kuck 6, Laura Montiel 7, Adelina Urtane 11, Zozefine Sipolina 17, Nataly Dunka 22, Lidia Hernandez 10.