Ladies back on home court Friday-Saturday to face Otero, Trinidad State
The McCook Community College women's basketball team is back to work this week to tip off a full slate of critical games to open the 2023 portion of the schedule – including four straight home games.
MCC returns to the home court Friday for the first game in the Region IX schedule when the team hosts Otero Junior College (10-3) at 5:30 p.m., followed on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game against Trinidad State Junior College (5-11). On Thursday, Jan. 19, MCC hosts Northeastern Junior College (4-9) at 5:30 p.m. followed on Friday, Jan. 20, with a 5:30 p.m. home game against Western Nebraska Community College (10-5).
"Two big tests to start the semester with Otero and Trinidad," said MCC Coach Brandon Pritchett. "Otero will have three games under their belt by the time they face us, Trinidad will have some games too, so these will be tough games right off the bat but it's nice to start at home."
MCC struggled with a pair of four-game slides in the fall schedule but finished out the holiday break winning two of its final three games to check in at 4-11 heading into the second half of the season.
"I did like how we finished the semester and if we play every night in our region like we did against Redlands in the semester finale I think we can be pretty successful," Pritchett said.
Sophomore transfer Vanessa Jurewicz (Stockholm, Sweden) leads the team scoring 12.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. That's fifth best among players from the six teams in the Region IX south
Redshirt freshman Taryn Lindsey (Colorado Springs) averages 9.2 points a game and is second on the team in rebounding with 3.8. At the free-throw line she has made 61 of 74 attempts (82.4 percent). She is 13th in the country in made free throws and third in the Region IX south in free-throw percentage.
MCC averages 57.4 points per game, is shooting 36.1 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from the 3-point line. The team averages 35.2 rebounds and 20.9 turnovers. Defensively the team is giving up 66.3 points per game, with opponents shooting 37.1 percent from the field, 30.4 from distance,
"We just have to be more consistent, and we have to be able to knock down shots, and need to defend," Pritchett said. "We're as healthy as we can be and it will be important for us to maintain that health and keep our bodies ready to go," said Pritchett.
Freshman Marta Moya Perea, (Alboraya, Spain) averages 8.7 points, freshman Natalie Harmata (New South Wales, Australia) averages 7.5 per game, and freshman Gemma Gruettner (Berlin, Germany) 7.0.
Harmata and Perez lead the way from the 3-point line both averaging 35.7 percent with Harmata leading MCC in rebounding at 4.1 per game.
One bright spot for the team is at the free-throw line where MCC is shooting 73.5 percent for the season – sixth best in the nation among the 169 teams competing in Division I. However, the team only gets to the line an average 17.3 times per game (ranked 98th). MCC has six players shooting better than 75 percent on the season.
All remaining games on the schedule are games against Region IX South opponents or teams in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference.
"Our region is tough and any team can win on any given night," Pritchett said. "So I think the south part of our region is wide open for anybody to step up and take it."
In the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference standings, MCC tops the standings at 1-0 with a win over Central Community College. MCC has two games remaining NCCAC games with both North Platte and Southeast Community College and one game at Columbus against Central CC.
For all the up-to-date information on MCC basketball this season and all sports including schedules, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at mccindians.com