Storm surge ahead in NCCAC with 108-92 win over MCC

Storm surge ahead in NCCAC with 108-92 win over MCC

BEATRICE The Southeast Community College men took the lead in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference standings Sunday with a 108-92 win over McCook Community College. SECC goes to 3-1 in conference with two games remaining. MCC goes to 2-3 with one conference game left.

The Storm entered the game as the No.9 ranked team in the NJCAA Division II national rankings.

"I thought we came out really well and just let off the gas," said MCC Coach Jacob Brandl. "Credit to Southeast they were really tough tonight and we just couldn't guard them."

MCC led 47-45 at the half and the game was tied at 73-73 mid-way through the second half before the Storm took charge of the game, shooting 68.8 percent from the field in the second half and 64.4 percent for the game. The Beatrice team took 20 second-half free throws and made 15 (75 percent) to bring the game total to 24 of 30 (80 percent). SECC made four of five 3-pointers in the second half (80 percent) and finished the game eight of 15 (53.3 percent) and out-rebounded MCC 37-23.

SCC was led in scoring by 6-8 MCC transfer Much Biel, who scored 27 points. He was one of five Storm players to reach double-digits.

"We have got to figure out how to be tougher on the second part of back-to-back nights because that's been our Achilles heel here as of late," said Brandl.

Sophomore Damien Perry (Wareham, Mass.) scored a season-high 32 points for the Indians. That included five 3-pointers on nine shots. Cortland Blake (sophomore, Fort Worth, Texas) scored 27 points.

MCC shot 45.5 percent for the game, made 12 of 32 3-pointers (37.5 percent) and 20 of 28 free throws (71.4 percent)

The Storm, improve to 10-4 and take over first place in the NCCAC standings at 3-1. North Platte is 2-2 with MCC and Central Community College both tied at 2-3 with three games remaining on the schedule. Southeast travels to North Platte March 20 and to Columbus on March 27. MCC goes to North Platte on March 23.

MCC falls to 9-6 with seven games left on the schedule. Friday's game game against Western Nebraska was postponed because of COVID-19 issues with the Cougar program. On Saturday the Indians are scheduled to hostNortheastern Junior College at 4 p.m.

MCC travels to Casper on March 15, to Lamar on March 19 and to North Platte on March 23.

The final two games are at home against Trinidad State March 26 and Otero Junior College March 27.