GILLETTE, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team used a big first half and held on to down No. 20 and previously unbeaten North Dakota State College of Science 60-54 in the first day of the Holiday Inn Express Classic in Gillette, Wyoming on Thursday.
The Cougars, in notching their 10th win of the season, put three in double figures led by a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds by Adelina Urtane to record the victory.
WNCC will face Miles Community College on Friday in the classic and then wrap up the invite on Saturday against Gillette College.
The win was highlighted by an impressive first half where the Cougars racked up 41 points while holding Wildcats to just 20 points.
WNCC started the first quarter as they built a 10-2 lead and held NDSCS to without a basket until the 5:23 mark of the opening half. The Cougars led 18-7 after the first quarter on a bucket by Lidia Hernandez.
The second quarter was just as offensive as WNCC scored 23 points and opened the second 10 minutes on a 16-5 run that was highlighted by two 3-pointers by Zozefine Sipolina for a 34-11 lead. The Cougars led 41-14 after an Urtana 3-pointer, but NDSCS score the final six points of the quarter to trail 41-14 at halftime.
The third quarter was totally opposite as NDSCS scored 21 points and used a tough defense that allowed just four points to make a contest of the game. WNCC led after three 45-41.
The fourth quarter was back and forth as the Cougars outscored NDSCS 15-13 and led by nine at 55-46. It was just a 7-point, 56-49, game with 1:34 to play and the Cougars hung on for the win.
WNCC shot 37 percent from the field, while North Dakota State College of Science shot 28 percent. Both teams shot under 20 percent from beyond the arc. WNCC made just 4-of-27 3-pointers while the Wildcats made 4-of-23 treys.
WNCC out-rebounded NDSCS 45-37. Urtane led the way with 11, followed by Nataly Dunka with 10 boards and Hernandez with nine rebounds.
WNCC had three in double figures, led by Sipolina and Dunka with 17 points apiece. Urtane had 13 while Hernandez had eight and Helena Kuck tallied five.
WNCC (10-3) 18 23 4 15 – 60
NDSCS (9-1) 7 13 21 13 – 54
WNCC
Helena Kuck 5, Adelina Urtane 13, Zozefine Sipolina 17, Nataly Dunka 17, Lidia Hernandez 8.
NDSCS
Mckena Koolmo 8, Demi Van Gils 9, Ava Boyes 4, Mia Berryhill 5, Peyton Gette 6, Ezrah Baker 1, Lolo Carlow 4, Hailey Markle 3, Maggie Westling 14.