MCC women pick up first Region IX South win at Trinidad

TRINIDAD, Colo. – The McCook Community College women never trailed Saturday picking up a 69-44 win on the road – the team's first Region IX South win.

The Lady Indians scored the first six points of the game and led 14-6 after a quarter and 35-22 at the half.

"We came out today with much better energy and executed on both ends our game plan," said MCC Coach Brandon Pritchett. "I'm extremely proud of our response to our play yesterday," he said referring to a 63-47 Friday loss to Otero Junior College.

All seven MCC players who played scored at least seven points.

The Lady Indians shot 48.3 percent from the field, made seven of 17 shots from the arc, and went six-for-11 from the line. MCC outrebounded TSJC 43-31 and turned the ball over 19 times.

"Offensively our execution in the half court was on-point," said Pritchett. "When we played our game and didn't fall into their chaotic pace, we made the right plays. That opened our transition opportunities for us in the second half."

After edging the Trojans 18-16 in the third quarter MCC finished the game with a 16-6 fourth-quarter edge.

Sophomore Gemma Gruettner Bacoul (Berlin, Germany) led MCC with 20 points, picked up eight rebounds, dished out six assists and had four steals.

"Gemma again filled up the box score for us," said Pritchett.

Noa Iglesias Chorda (sophomore Barcelona, Spain) scored 11 points. Audra Vine (sophomore, Thornton, Colo.) added nine and sophomore Rebecca Dunn (Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored seven points and grabbed seven boards.

Freshman Madara Liepniece (Riga, Latvia) scored seven points and two freshman came up the bench to score 15 points with 13 rebounds. Carlota Aliaga Alonso (Valencia, Spain) led the team with nine rebounds and scored seven points. Hanne Alvarez Verdaguer (Barcelona, Spain) scored eight points and snagged four rebounds.

"I was really impressed with our freshman stepping up today. Hanne came in and played really well. She made some big shots and defended well," said Pritchett. "And Carlota also was more aggressive, we will need her more and more as the season progresses."

The Trojans shot 26.2 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from distance while making three of six free throws and committing 16 turnovers.

"We really gave great effort on the defense end," said Prichett. "We knew they would shoot a lot of 3s but wanted to make everyone one of them tough."

Trinidad remains winless on the season, falling to 0-16.

MCC goes to 9-8 overall and 1-1 in Region IX South.

On Tuesday, MCC returns home to face Southeast Community College at 5:30 p.m. in a Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference game. The Lady Indians lead the conference at 2-0, the Bobcats are 4-11 in the conference with this being their first NCCAC game.