The 21st-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team led from start to finish in collecting their 20th win of the season with a dominating performance over Northeastern Junior College 82-53 in a Region IX South Division contest.
The Cougars, in moving to 20-3 on the season and 8-1 in South play, put four players in double figures while shooting 89 percent from the free throw line.
Zeynep Canbaz, who led all scorers with 20 points, said they played well in getting the win, starting quick in rolling to a 26-14 first-quarter lead.
"We were all ready for the game," the freshman from Turkey said. "We knew we had to play quick. When we play slow, it is not our game. We know we have to run the ball and we have to play fast."
The first quarter was definitely one of the best the Cougars have played, running out to a 12-2 lead and leading 20-6 on back-to-back buckets by Ozge Yarga. WNCC led 26-14 after one.
The second quarter was one both teams probably wanted to forget as WNCC outscored NJC 11-6 as the Cougar's tough defense held strong for the 37-20 halftime lead.
While both teams were lacking offense in the second quarter, it was different in the third as each team scored 20 points. WNCC had a 22-point lead, 53-31 led 57-36 on a Rylee Ward bucket. NJC closed out the quarter with four points to trail 57-40.
The fourth saw WNCC open up the game, including seven points by Canbaz that saw the Cougars lead 72-47. WNCC never looked back after that for the win.
WNCC shot 47 percent from the field and were 8 of 9 from the free throw line. The Cougars also pulled down 41 rebounds, led by Bree Paulson with seven and Sladjana Rakovic with five.
Offensively, plenty of Cougars got their name in the scoring column as the team also shared the ball, finishing with 22 assists. Sparks dished out six assists followed by Canbaz with four.
As for scoring, after Canbaz' 20 points, Rakovic tossed in 16, followed by 10 each from Hannah Sparks and Paulson.
WNCC will have three South Division games left. They will entertain Lamar on Friday beginning at 5:30. They will then travel to McCook Community College on Tuesday for a make-up contest, before hosting EWC in the home finale on Feb. 18.
NJC 14 6 20 13 – 53
WNCC 26 11 20 25 – 82
NJC
Emily Green 8, Wuanyel Ah-Hing 2, Denise Batiste 2, Jessica Renata 10, Hunter Worthley 2, Jennae Fieldgrove 16, Nicole Muragarren Clavier 3, Morgan Schaaf 8, Gina Cerezuela 2.
WNCC
Kallie Feddersen 2, Sladjana Rakovic 16, Hannah Sparks 10, Ozge Yarga 8, Luize Skrastina 2, Oleida DeLeon 2, Zeynep Canbaz 20, Bree Paulson 10, Rylee Ward 4, Mikayla Gonzales 4, Myriam Garcia 4.