Pirates hand Knights first home loss in regular season finale

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte women's basketball looked to send their sophomores out on a high-note, but No. 17 North Central Missouri College surged ahead midway through the fourth quarter to defeat the Knights, 61-54.

"We battled hard against a very talented North Central Missouri team," said head coach Jeff Thurman. "What this group has accomplished is special and I am honored to be part of this journey with them."

Sophomores Kayla Pope (16), Diamond Moore-Heath (15), and Janay Brauer (10) led the Knights in scoring as each finished the game in double-figures. Jordyn Moon was the top rebounder, finishing the game with nine rebounds to accompany her five points and two assists.

North Platte (21-9) closed out the afternoon shooting 28.2 percent (20-71) from the floor, and just 5-of-21 from three-point land. The Knights outrebounded their opponent 50-44, but the Pirates closed out the game shooting 42.9 percent from the field.

A three by Brauer opened the scoring just sixty-five seconds into the contest. An 8-2 run by the Pirates pushed their lead to three with 4:51 to play in the first quarter. North Platte battled back over the closing minutes, as a layup by Pope knotted the game up by the end of the quarter.

Defenses were strong in the opening minutes of the second quarter, before a layup by the Pirates gave North Central Missouri the two-point advantage. Knights and Pirates remained tight for the next three minutes, until North Central Missouri extended their lead to five.

North Platte once against battled back over the closing minutes to pull back within one. Moore-Heath sprinted the floor and was rewarded with a transition layup and a successful free throw opportunity to narrow the deficit to one as teams broke for halftime, 24-23.

Brauer unleashed a three to open the third quarter as the Knights retook the lead. The Pirates cut the deficit to two, before a three by Moon pushed the margin back to five. An 11-4 burst gave the lead and momentum back to the Pirates with 2:29 to play in the quarter. North Central Missouri controlled the tempo for the remainder of the quarter, as some quick drives pushed the Pirates lead to four by the quarter break.

Pope narrowed the deficit to one to open the fourth quarter, but the Pirates extended their lead to seven with 4:14 to play in regulation. Knights cut the margin to four inside the closing minutes, but North Central Missouri held on as time expired.

North Platte will host the Region IX Championship on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. Knights await the winner of the Southeast Community College and Central Community College matchup, which is to be played on Tuesday, Feb. 22.