MCC women lose 86-85 Region IX finale

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – The McCook Community College Lady Indians basketball team had the chance to win the game with four seconds left on a buzzer-beater, but the shot missed and Eastern Wyoming won 86-85, to advance to the semi-finals of the Region IX Division I Tournament.

“I thought that we fought the whole game,” MCC coach Brandon Pritchett said. “Eastern Wyoming made some plays down the stretch and we didn’t get stops in the last two minutes of the game.”

The two teams had played on even terms all year with the first matchup in November going to overtime before the Lancers won.

They also picked up a two-point win in McCook in December.

On Thursday, it was more of the same as the teams finished the first 10 minutes tied at 17-17.

Eastern Wyoming went on an 8-0 run in the second period to take a 31-21 lead, but MCC battled back to reclaim the lead 48-44 at the half.

The lead changed 16 times in the game with the score tied nine times.

Sophomore Anna Sanjuan, (Reus, Spain) led MCC in scoring with 20 points along with nine rebounds. Freshman Makenna Bodette (Colorado Springs) added 16 points and 19 rebounds.

Freshman Nikki Cross (Melbourne, Australia) scored 14 points and sophomore Sam Hinkle, (Parachute, Colo.) scored 12 points.

The Lady Indians shot 43.8 percent for the game, made 11 of 37 shots from beyond the 3-point line (29.7 percent), and just 45.4 percent from the free-throw line on 22 attempts.

MCC outrebounded the Lancers 51-36.

Eastern Wyoming shot 45.2 percent from the field, made seven of 19 shots from distance (36.8 percent), and connected on 13 of 16 free throws (81.3 percent). Abril Rexach led Eastern Wyoming with 23 points. Paula Martinez-Sanz added 19 points.

“We did a lot of really good things but it came down to making free throws in the second half,” Pritchett said.

The Lady Indians made just four of 13 free throws in the second half (30.8 percent).

“You never want to end your season on a loss but they have nothing to hang their heads about,” Pritchett said. “These girls had a great season and we are proud of them and what they accomplished.”

In addition to finishing with a 20-win season, the Lady Indians went 6-0 in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference to win the school’s ninth conference championship and sixth since 2006.

Eastern Wyoming improves to 24-8 and will take on the winner of Thursday’s final game of the night between Western Nebraska and Sheridan.

Semi-final games are set for 6 and 8 p.m. central time Friday in Scottsbluff with the finals on Saturday at 6 p.m.