TAYLORVILLE, Utah – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball had a slow start but scored 20-plus in the final three quarters to claim a 78-67 win over Utah State Eastern at the Salt Lake Classic in Taylorville, Utah, Friday afternoon.

                It was the Cougars eighth win of the season and the second in a week over Utah State Eastern. Last week, WNCC defeated Utah State Eastern 73-65 in Twin Falls, Idaho.

                WNCC will now face No. 22 Salt Lake Community College on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the classic before wrapping up the classic with a Sunday morning game against Dawson Community College.

                Friday's game saw Utah State Eastern run out to a 17-6 lead after the first quarter. The second quarter saw the Cougars score the first eight points behind three straight field goals by Adelina Urtane, followed by a bucket by Nataly Dunka. WNCC took their first lead of the game with 3:50 to play on a Zozefine Sipolina bucket at 23-22. It didn't last long as the Eagles hit a trey. Utah State Eastern led 32-25 when Helena Kuck nailed a 2-pointer as Utah State Eastern led 32-27 at halftime.

                The third quarter saw a back-and-forth 10 minutes. WNCC took a 33-32 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers by Kuck and Laura Montiel and led 36-35 after an Urtane triple. Utah State Eastern came back to lead 42-36 and then scored the last four points of the third for the 52-50 lead after three.

                The fourth quarter was all Cougars, outscoring the Eagles 28-15. WNCC retook the lead at 54-52 on buckets by Lidia Hernandez and Dunka. Utah State Eastern went back in front with a 3-pointer at 55-54. After that, the Cougars lit up the scoreboard with a 13-2 run, including 3-pointers by Dunka and Sipolina for a 62-55 lead. WNCC led by double digits on a Sipolina 3-pointer and a field goal by Hernandez, 67-57.

                Utah State Eastern made one last run, cutting the Cougar lead to 67-71, but Sipolina hit another 3-pointer and Urtane and Hernandez got buckets for a 74-61 lead with a minute to play.

                WNCC had four players in double figures. Dunka led the way with 17 points with 6-for-7 shooting from the charity stripe. Urtane had 16 points with two triples, followed by Sipolina with 15 points and three 3-pointers, and Kuck with 13 also with 3 3-pointers.

                The Cougars buried 10 3-pointers in the contest to just nine for Utah State Eastern.

WNCC                                6 21 23 28 – 78
Utah State-Eastern     17 15 20 15 – 67
UTAH STATE EASTERN
Ellie Esplin 4, Avery Sanders 8, Madison Anderson 6, Addasyn Scrivner 8, Marlee Pieper 7, McKenzie Allen 9, Brynn Wagner 10, Aly Coombs 5, Addisyn Johnson 10.
WNCC
Helena Kuck 13, Laura Montiel 9, Adelina Urtane 16, Zozefine Sipolina 15, Nataly Dunka 17, Lidia Hernandez 8.