No. 10 Iowa Western women prevail over MCC 70-58

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The McCook Community College Women lost 70-58 Saturday to No. 10 Iowa Western Community College in the final game of the Iowa Western Thanksgiving Classic.

The Reivers took an early 5-0 lead in the opening minute of the game but MCC clawed back to take a 6-5 lead with three quick buckets in a 39 second span ending at the 8:17 mark. MCC had an 8-6 lead with 6:14 left in the first period and withstood an Iowa Western 13-8 lead to make it a 13-12 game until the 2:09 mark when the Reivers closed out the period on a 6-2 run to lead 19-14.

"We have to be a better defensive team," said MCC Coach Brandon Pritchett. "We are allowing too many easy opportunities for our opponent to start games."

The two teams nearly duplicated their first-quarter production with the Reivers holding a 19-13 second-quarter advantage. MCC tightened it up a little defensively in the third quarter playing to a 14-14 tie and picked it up with their best scoring quarter in the final stanza with 17 points, but were outscored 18-17.

MCC shot 33.3 percent from the floor, made three of 13 shots from the 3-point line (23.1 percent) and made 15 of 17 free throws (88.2 percent).

Iowa Western shot the ball at 45.8 percent from the field 30 percent on 17 shots from the 3-point arc and made 13 of 17 free throws (76.5 percent). The Reivers outrebounded MCC 41-25 and held a 26-6 advantage from scoring by the bench.

"Iowa Western is a tough physical team top to bottom," Pritchett said. "We have to find consistency from our bench."

Sophomore Maite Lara Garcia (Sant Joan Despi, Spain) led MCC with 17 points to go along with five rebounds. Carla Torrubia Cano (sophomore, Melilla, Spain) scored 14 points and led the team with seven rebounds. She made three of five 3-point shots.

"There were some good things this weekend that we can build on," Pritchett said. "Carla found a rhythm offensively for us today, which we need from her nightly to add another threat on the floor."

Sophomore transfer Vanessa Jurewicz (Stockholm, Sweden) scored 12 points, and sophomore transfer Sonia Sato (El Paso, Texas) scored nine points and had five rebounds.

"Vanessa played well and had a solid game again today." Pritchett said.

Iowa Western, the No. 10 team in the NJCAA Division II polls, goes to 3-3 on the season.

After starting the season 3-1, MCC falls to 5-5.

"We need consistency from everyone though moving forward as there is not anything easy to finish this semester," said Pritchett.

MCC will close out the semester with three road contests starting with a Wyoming trip Friday and Saturday traveling to Torrington Friday to take on Eastern Wyoming at 6 p.m. (CT) and Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne at 3 p.m (CST) Saturday. The final game of the calendar year will be Dec. 7 at Highland Community College in Kansas (5:30 p.m.)