Plainsmen overtake MCC in overtime 89-85

Plainsmen overtake MCC in overtime 89-85

Northeastern Junior College polished of the regular season with an 89-85 overtime win over McCook Community College Tuesday in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

The Indians led 58-54 with 9:46 to play, but the two teams battled back and forth with four tie scores and three lead changes in the final 10 minutes. NJC took the lead at 64-62 with 5:34 to play but MCC went up 72-69 at the 2:32 mark. The Plainsmen came back to tie the game at 73-73 with 1:21 left.

The Indians took the lead with 14.6 seconds left but NJC responded with a second-chance offensive rebound to send the game into overtime at 75 apiece.

"That's what NJC does, they had their starting point-guard/2-guard out in Dalton Knecht who is probably going to be the player of the year and is very deserving of that honor -- so they had to find offense elsewhere and they basically chucked up shots and went after it and got their rebounds and that was their offense tonight and we just couldn't stop them from doing it," said MCC Coach Jacob Brandl.

MCC took a 78-77 lead with 2:46 left in overtime but the Plainsmen outscored MCC 14-10 in the extra period.

"This loss wasn't because of effort, it wasn't because of heart, we just didn't execute down the stretch," Brandl said.

Sophomore transfer Damien Perry (Wareham, Mass.) led MCC with 19 points, six assists and three steals. Rashe' France (redshirt sophomore, Memphis, Tenn.) scored 13. William Lee (freshman, Queens, N.Y.) made four of eight 3-pointers and had 12 points. Sophomore Rahkiem Petterson (Midland, Texas) scored 11 points and had a game high 12 rebounds.

MCC shot 40.3 percent from the field, made nine of 30 3-pointers, and was 18 of 28 from the line.

NJC shot 43.5 percent from the field, 23.5 percent from the arc, and made 33 of 47 free throws. NJC out-rebounded MCC 47-44.

"We got beat up inside," Brandl said. "And you can't give up 49 free-throw attempts and 22 turnovers and expect to win a game. Yet we were there, and we were there at the end. That shows you how much effort and pride we had tonight."

The Plainsmen finish the region schedule at 6-2 and 12-5 overall and earned the No. 2 seed behind Otero Junior College. MCC goes to 11-10, (5-7 against Region IX south opponents) and drew the No. 4 seed and will host North Platte Saturday, game time has not been announced. The Knights (7-12, 4-7) beat MCC twice this season.

"We have one more guaranteed game and we have to be ready to play," Brandl said.