MCC Men knock off No. 22 Otero JC to close regular season

The McCook Community College Men executed a solid defensive scheme and had five players score in double figures to defeat No. 22 Otero Junior College to end the regular season, 68-65.

With MCC leading 34-30 at the half, the Rattlers went on a 13-4 run over the first 6:57 of the second half to take a 43-38 lead before MCC responded with a 5-0 run to tie the game at 43 just past the 10:00 minute mark.

"I didn't think we played well offensively or defensively Friday against Trinidad but came back and had a good approach where defensively we were really tough and offensively – aside from our turnovers – I liked our looks, I thought we were aggressive and attacked their pressure," said MCC Coach Jacob Brandl.

The game stayed close for the reminder of the game. MCC pulled to a 53-50 lead at 6:06, The game was tied 57-57 with 4:03 left, tied 60-60 with 2:46 left and MCC went up 63-62 with 2:01 remaining on a 3-pointer from Julian Lual (Calgary, Alberta). Beni Fungula (Stockholm, Sweden) drove the lane for a bucket to put MCC up 66-65 and a pair of free-throws by Trey Summers (Greeley, Colo.) with 20.5 seconds left put MCC up 68-65 with the defense stepping up to limit Otero's opportunities for a game-tying shot.

This weekend's scenario mirrored the first weekend of February at home when MCC lost a Friday contest to Western Nebraska 57-47 and came back on Saturday to down NJC 83-76.

"We've see this story before, earlier in the month when we didn't play very well against Western and came back the next day and had a great response against NJC and it was very much the same way today."

Lual led MCC with 15 points and was one of three players with six rebounds. Summers scored 13 points and was three-for-four from the 3-point line. Damien Perry (Wareham, Mass.) scored 12 points.

D'Andre Dennis (Charlotte, N.C.) scored 10 points and had six rebounds. Ezichi Kalu (Lagos, Nigeria) also snagged six boards. Fungula came off the bench to score 11.

MCC shot 39.9 percent from the field, made 10 of 23 3-pointers (43.5 percent) and went 16 of 21 from the line (76.2 percent). MCC out-rebounded the Rattlers 39-35 and turned the ball over 20 times.

OJC shot 36.2 percent from the floor made eight of 25 3-pointers (32 percent) and was seven of 12 from the line.

"We'll be waiting around to see who wins and who loses over the next couple days and see where the seedings end up," Brandl said. "But I like the mindset of the basketball team right now, we've been pretty good in February but we've had good approaches and good responses so we have to continue to do that."

After being ranked No. 22 in the latest NJCAA Top 25 poll Monday, Otero has lost three straight games, losing Tuesday at Trinidad State 100-87, losing at North Platte Friday 102-90 and Saturday at McCook. OJC goes to 21-6 and 8-3 in the Region IX South Standings. The Rattlers host Lamar Tuesday.

MCC goes to 10-19 overall and finishes the Region IX South schedule at 5-7.

For more photos from tonight's game, please visit the MCC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MPCCMcCook