Lady Lancers thrive in OT in win over LCCC

Erick Starkey
Posted 1/31/18

The Eastern Wyoming College Lady Lancers outscored Laramie County Community college 15-9 in overtime to snag the win Monday, 84-78.

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Lady Lancers thrive in OT in win over LCCC

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TORRINGTON – The Eastern Wyoming College Lady Lancers outscored Laramie County Community college 15-9 in overtime to snag the win Monday, 84-78.

EWC started slow out of the gates, allowing the Lady Golden Eagles to rack up a 21-11 lead after the first quarter. In the second, the Lady Lancers started clawing away at the lead, heading into the break down 27-21.

EWC started making its move in the third quarter, tying the game at 27 on a bucket by Nicole Cutler. Abril Rexach Roure tied the game at 39 and a three by Pamela Bethel knotted the score at 42. With a quarter to go, the Lady Lancers were down 47-46.

Lauren O’Connell gave EWC its first lead of the four with a bucket to put the score at 51-49. The Lady Lancers had a 69-67 lead with 33 seconds to go, but two free throws put the score at 69 apiece. A shot by Ines Salat Margarit with three seconds to go missed, sending the game to overtime.

Cathlyn Knutson got the extra period started off solid with a three-pointer. The Lady Lancers held the lead for all of overtime, sealing the game for an 84-78 win.

Roure and Bethel tied for the team lead with 18 points apiece in the win. Bethel was 4-of-6 from behind the arc, while also racking up 12 boards, three assists, three blocks and a steal. Roure rounded out her stat line with five rebounds, nine assists and two steals.

O’Connell turned in 14 points, while Knutson kicked in another 12. The two combined to knock down five three-pointers, while tallying six rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal.

Cutler and Macie Mackey joined Roure, O’Connell and Bethel as the five starters, combining for 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a block and two steals. Margarit and Ijeoma Adaora Ezikeolisa rounded out the scorers, combining for nine points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals and a block.

NJC 83, EWC 76

O’Connell poured in 31 points Thursday, in large part to her 8-of-9 shooting from behind the arc, but it was not enough as the Lady Lancers fell to Northeastern Junior College 83-76.

The game was back and forth all night. The Lady Plainsmen jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but EWC came back to tie the game at nine and take a 12-9 lead on back-to-back threes by O’Connell. At the end of the first frame, the Lady Lancers were down 20-19. NJC expanded on its lead a bit in the second quarter, outscoring EWC 25-18 in the frame to take a 45-37 lead into the break.

Knutson cut the lead to four (47-43) early in the third quarter with a shot from behind the arc and another three by O’Connell trimmed the lead even more to 49-46. Late in the third, another bucket by O’Connell brought EWC to within one (55-54). The Lady Lancers went into the final quarter down 58-55.

There were four ties in the fourth quarter. EWC came out hot in the frame, taking a 68-62 lead on a bucket by Rexach. NJC hit three shots in a row to tie it at 68 and they took a 70-68 lead shortly after. The Lady Plainsmen took the lead and would not relinquish it for the rest of the game. EWC cut the score to 74-72, but the visitors added some more distance in the 83-76 decision.

O’Connell had a stat line to remember, finishing the game with 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting, four rebounds and two assists.

Cutler stepped up on the offensive end of the floor, finishing the night with 13 points and three rebounds. Rexach and Margarit charted nine points apiece and they combined to go 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Rexach filled her stat line with five boards, seven assists and a steal, while Margarit chipped in two rebounds and four steals.

Knutson came off the bench with six points, all from behind the arc, and a rebound.

Bethel and Mackey rounded out the starters for EWC. Mackey racked up five points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals. Bethel exerted a lot of effort on defense, while racking up three points, 15 boards, an assist and two blocks.

The Lady Lancers shot 35 percent from the field and 44 percent from behind the arc.

EWC now sits at 13-9 on the year. The Lady Lancers return to their home floor Friday to take on rival Western Nebraska Community College at 5:30 p.m.