Strong defense helps Knights prevail over Northeastern Junior College

Sterling, Colo. – North Platte Community College women's basketball opened another six-game road trip with the Plainswomen of Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night. North Platte rallied in the second quarter and held off the Plainswomen to earn their first road win against Northeastern since the 2013-14 season.

"This was a great team win," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "We battled for all forty minutes and our tough defense helped us earn this road victory."

Knights attempted to set the tone early, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes of action, before an 8-0 run by the Plainswomen shifted the momentum in favor of Northeastern. Jada Ballard halted the run by following her shot and getting her offensive putback to fall to cut the deficit to four, 4-8.

The Northeastern lead grew to seven on a quick three in transition, before Diamond Moore-Heath answered with a contested layup in the paint. The Plainswomen extended their lead back to seven under two minutes to play, but Janay Brauer ignited the Knights offense with a three to trim the deficit down to four by the end of the first quarter, 9-13.

North Platte used the momentum to open the second quarter on a 7-0 run, as a short-range jumper by Moore-Heath pushed the Knights ahead inside eight minutes to play in the second quarter.  Northeastern tied the game up at 15, before the Knights surged ahead outscoring the Plainswomen 12-4 for the remainder of the quarter to take an eight-point lead into the break, 27-19.

Out of the halftime break, the Knights lead stretched to ten as Moore-Heath came loose in the paint for an uncontested layup. The Plainswomen quietly cut into the deficit over the next 4:40 to pull back within three, 33-30. A short burst on the offensive end by the Knights extended the lead back to eight on a three by Brauer, but the Plainswomen responded down the stretch to narrow the deficit back to one possession by the end of the third quarter, 38-36.

Knights responded to open the fourth quarter as an extra pass found Brauer open on the right wing for a three. A bucket by the Plainswomen drew Northeastern back within three, but a second chance opportunity by Moore-Heath quickly pushed the North Platte lead back to five, 43-38.

North Platte tightened up defensively as their lead grew to nine on a layup by Avery Johnson inside six minutes to play. Brauer extended the lead back to double-digits over a minute later after receiving the pass from Moore-Heath and connecting on a deep three, 56-44. North Platte never relinquished their momentum over the final four minutes and closed out the Plainswomen down the stretch to earn the 70-51 road win.  

As a team, the Knights shot 32.9 percent (27-82) from the field, and 6-of-24 from the perimeter on the night. North Platte collected 27 offensive rebounds, which turned into 16 second chance points.

Brauer paced the Knights with 19 points on 6-of-21 shooting from the floor. Moore-Heath earned her eighth double-double of the season tallying 16 points and 13 rebounds in thirty minutes of action. Ballard closed out her first double-double of her career compiling 14 points and 11 rebounds against the Plainswomen.

North Platte (12-5) will travel back to Colorado on Tuesday, Jan. 18 for a rematch against Air Force Prep. Tip is set for 5 p.m. in Colorado Springs, Colo. Knights won the opening meeting back on Nov. 13 at the Cobblestone Hotel Inn & Suites Classic in McCook, 72-65.