Lancers fend off Knights in overtime

Torrington, Wyo. – North Platte Community College women's basketball team looked to end the weekend on a high note against Eastern Wyoming College on Saturday afternoon. The Knights launched a late run in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but Eastern Wyoming responded with a 9-0 run to start the extra quarter to close out the Knights, 76-65.

"Not a good weekend for us," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "Hopefully we can learn from these games and improve as we close out the opening part of our season next weekend."

Knights looked to set the pace early by winning the opening tip and attacking the interior of the Lancers defense. Jada Ballard put the Knights on top early after connecting on back-to-back free throw opportunities after she was fouled on the offensive putback, 2-0. Lancers quickly broke the full court press put on by the Knights and knotted the game up with a layup in transition.

North Platte temporarily recaptured the lead inside eight minutes to play in the opening quarter, as Diamond Moore-Heath drove baseline and finished the reverse layup, 4-2. Lancers quickly knotted the game back up on their next possession before the Knights extended their lead out to four.

Inside six minutes to play in the quarter, Fumnanya Ijeh got her defender on her heels by hesitating at the top of the key then quickly driving the lane and answering with a floater to give the Knights back the two-point advantage, 6-4. Moore-Heath extended the Knights lead on their next offensive possession by completing the up and under move in the paint to extend the lead to four, 8-4. Eastern Wyoming responded with a 10-0 run over the final five minutes to take a six-point lead into the quarter break.

Knights answered with a 5-0 run to open the second quarter narrowing the deficit to one in the opening minutes. Lancers answered on their next offensive possession, but the Knights continued to keep Eastern Wyoming from extending their lead to more than three over the next three minutes.

Inside the final four minutes of the second quarter, the Lancers extended their lead to five before a short run capped off by a Kayla Pope layup cut the deficit back to two, 20-22. Eastern Wyoming held off the Knights in the closing minutes and managed to extend their lead back to five before the halftime break, 20-25.

Knights came out strong to open the third quarter cutting the Lancers lead to one on a Pope layup in transition, 24-25. Eastern Wyoming responded over the next 2:20 with a 9-1 run to open a nine-point lead with 6:16 to play in the third quarter.

Janay Brauer halted the Lancers run with a three from the left wing, before Pope narrowed the deficit back to five after connecting on the front end of two free throw opportunities, 29-34. Lancers outscored the Knights 9-8 over the remaining minutes to cling to a six-point lead at the end of the third quarter, 37-43.

Moore-Heath got the Knights started on their opening possession of the fourth quarter getting the feed inside and using the glass to get her layup to fall, 39-43. Lancers and Knights traded baskets from the perimeter over the next three minutes as the Eastern Wyoming lead stayed at four with 6:07 to play in regulation.

Lancers extended their lead back to seven, before an 11-2 run by the Knights gave them the lead inside the final minute of the fourth quarter, 61-59. Pope extended the Knights lead to three inside twenty seconds to play but the Lancers connected on a contested three to send the game to overtime.

Eastern Wyoming surged out of the gate to start the extra quarter, stretching their lead to nine in the opening four minutes. North Platte cut the deficit to six inside the final minute, but the Lancers answered down the stretch to close out the Knights.  

Brauer once again led the Knights with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field. Moore-Heath closed out the game with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Pope finished the game with 13 points and 10 rebounds.  

Knights (8-4) will return home for back-to-back games as part of the North Platte Community College Classic this coming weekend. North Platte will open against Lamar Community College on Friday, December 10 at 7pm, before taking on Kansas City Kansas Community College on Saturday at 3pm.