Western Nebraska women end MCC’s six-game win streak

SCOTTSBLUFF – Western Nebraska Community College topped the McCook Community College women Saturday 73-54.

The win snapped MCC's six-game winning streak and gives the Cougars their 20^th win of the season to clinch the Region IX South division. That means Western Nebraska will host the Region IX tournament March 9-11.

While WNCC goes to 8-1 in Region IX play, MCC still has a chance to finish in second place in the standings. The south's second place finisher will also gain an automatic bid to the tournament along with the top two seeds in the north division. The third and fourth-place teams will host a first-round home play-in game against the fifth and sixth place teams.

On Saturday, MCC stayed with the region's top team through most of the first period, but Western Nebraska closed out the period with the final five points to take a 19-12 lead.

"We did have a good practice yesterday, but our preparation wasn't where it had been the last couple weeks," said MCC Coach Brandon Pritchett. "That one is on me to fix."

Sophomore Vanessa Jurewicz (Stockholm, Sweden) led MCC with 19 points. Redshirt freshman Taryn Lindsey, (freshman, Fountain, Colo.) added 12 points and led MCC with six rebounds. Redshirt freshman Valentina Monzo (Santiago, Chile) scored seven points.

MCC shot 40.4 percent from the field, made four of 11 long-distance shots, and made 12 of 17 free throws (70.6 percent.)

"I thought Western really shot the ball well tonight," Pritchett said. "We didn't protect the defensive glass and gave them too many second chance opportunities."

Western Nebraska shot 42.4 percent from the field, made 10 of 20 3-pointers and shot 13-for-21 from the free-throw line (61.9 percent). The Cougars held the rebound edge 42-29.

MCC goes to 11-15 overall and 4-3 in the south standings with three Region IX games remaining – Feb.  24 at La Junta, Colo. against Otero Junior College, Feb. 25 at Trinidad State, and a home game Feb. 28 against Northeastern Junior College.

Otero is second in the standings at 6-2, MCC third at 4-3, Trinidad fourth at 4-5, Northeastern fifth at 2-5 and Lamar sixth at 1-8.

MCC also has one Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference game – Monday at Columbus against Central Community College.

"We have a short turn around with tomorrow to prepare for our game at Central on Monday," said Pritchett. "Central is playing well and we need to be mentally focused. Luckily, we've been here before with these long road trips to opposite ends of the state."

MCC has clinched at least a tie in the Nebraska Conference at 4-1 and can win the conference title outright with a win Monday.

Central is 2-2 in conference and 14-12 overall.

For all the up-to-date information on MCC women's basketball this season and all sports including schedules, statistics, rosters and photos, please visit the official website of MCC Athletics at mccindians.com