CASPER, Wyo. – Helena Kuck poured in 22 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team outscored Western Wyoming Community College 44-19 in the second half for the 71-54 win Friday afternoon at the Region 9 Crossover Classic in Casper, Wyoming.
                The win moves the Cougars to 13-4 on the season and got the team back on the winning track after falling to Gillette College on Thursday in the Classic. WNCC was 0-6 against Western Wyoming the last two years.
WNCC will wrap up the Crossover Classic on Saturday when they face Casper College at 6 p.m.
                Friday’s win was one where Western Wyoming led 11-7 in the first quarter before the Cougars got a steal from Laura Montiel and bucket to take the lead. It didn’t last long as the Mustangs went up 16-12 before Zozefina Sipolina hit a triple at the end of the quarter as the Cougars trailed 16-15 after one.
                WNCC started the second jumping to a 22-18 lead on a Kuck 3-pointer. Western Wyoming came back with an 8-0 run to lead 26-22. WNCC sliced the deficit to 29-27 late on another Montiel steal, but Western Wyoming close out the half with a 6-0 run to lead the Cougars 35-27 at halftime.
                The second half was a totally different story for the Cougar women as they outscored the Mustangs in the third quarter 19-6. WNCC took the lead 42-38 on a 7-0 run a bucket by Kuck and then Kuck buried three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point shot. WNCC led 46-41 after three periods.
                WNCC opened the fourth quarter with four straight points to lead 51-43 and led 53-47. That was when the Cougars went on a 12-0 run that was highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Adelina Urtane and Montiel for a 65-47 lead with 1:34 to play. WNCC never let Western Wyoming get within single digits as they posted the 71-54 win.
                The Cougars had four players in double figures. Kuck led all scorers with 22 points, including five 3-pointers. Lidia Hernandez tallied 13 points while Urtane and Montiel each had 11 points.
                Urtane tallied a double-double in the game with 11 rebounds to go with her 11 points.
                WNCC shot 44 percent for the game while Western Wyoming was 37 percent. WNCC connected on nine 3-pointers and were a perfect 14-of-14 from the charity stripe. Western Wyoming made just three treys and were 18 percent from behind the arc. The Mustangs were also 5-of-10 from the charity stripe.
 
WNCC (13-4)                 15 12 19 25 – 71
W. Wyoming                   16 19 6 13 – 54
WNCC
Lidia Hernandez 13, Helena Kuck 22, Laura Montiel 11, Adelina Urtane 11, Nataly Dunka 6, Zozefine Sipolina 8.
WESTERN WYOMING
Ana-Isabel Andersson 5, Sierra Eddie 15, Kayla Thornton 8, Austyn Feller 20, Kaylee Hess 3, Aliyah Bantolina 1.
 
WNCC men fall to Casper 114-78
 
                CASPER, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball played tough in the first half, but it was the second half that gave Casper College the 114-78 win Friday night in Casper, Wyoming.
                The Cougars led just once in the contest as WNCC grabbed a 26-25 lead in the first half thanks to a Reece Randolph 3-pointer. After that Casper went on a 10-2 run to lead 35-28. The Cougars traded buckets with the T-birds until the final minute when Casper went on a 7-0 run to take a 54-41 lead into halftime.
                The second half saw Casper put together little 4-0 and 6-0 runs to lead 70-48. WNCC managed to get the deficit down to 17 at 74-57 on an Isaiah St. Preux bucket, but Casper went on a 10-2 run to lead 84-59.
                WNCC put together their largest run of the half of 6-0 to try to come back and trailed by 20, 88-68, on a Caleb Swisher 3-pointer. But, every time WNCC tried to make a run, Casper stopped the run with one of their own and this time it was a 13-2 run to lead 101-70. Casper won 114-78.
                Casper shot 51 percent from the field and just 17 percent from beyond the arc nailing just six treys. WNCC was 39 percent from the field and 22 percent from beyond the arc with six treys.
                The big difference in the contest was rebounding where Casper held a 56-30 edge.
                Casper had seven players finish in double figures, including a double-double from Binael Basil with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
                WNCC had just two in double figures as Mathiang Maker had 22 points followed by Randolph with 18 points.
                WNCC, 5-10, will be back in action Saturday afternoon as they travel up the road to face Gillette College in Gillette, Wyoming.
 
WNCC (5-10)                 41 37 – 78
Casper                               54 60 – 114
WNCC
Kellon Harris 9, Isaiah St. Preux 7, Mathiang Maker 22, Dorin Nguema 5, Toms Linis 6, Reece Randolph 18, Caleb Swisher 3, Elijah Burney 5, Witold Czerenkiewicz 3.
CASPER
Aaron Sievert 11, Abdul Bashir 23, Ethan Connery 14, Nate Sasser III 4, Stephen Osei 16, Blake Neverdon 3, Roh Butler-Kowlessar 9, Parker Davis 10, Binael Basil 12, Yel Deeng 12.