LUBBOCK, Texas – The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team used a team effort and out-scored Murray State College in all four quarters to register a 71-59 win in the first round of the NJCAA national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, Wednesday evening.

            WNCC, who improves to 28-2, will face Wabash Valley Community College in the second round on Friday at 2 p.m. MST.

            Shanti Henry, who had some clutch 3-pointers in the game including the first trey of the game for the Cougars, said they started slow, but picked it up in the later quarters.

            "I feel like we started a little slow since we haven't played in over a week," Henry said. "But I think we played well as a team to get the win and played together."

            The win was definitely a team effort as three Cougars finished in double figures and a handful of others near double figures while others recorded huge rebounds. WNCC won the rebound battle 49-38,

            "I think these team wins are important in the beginning for everybody's confidence, hitting those shots," Henry said. "That should help us further along in the tournament."

            WNCC head coach Chad Gibney said it was a good win and a big team win to boot.

            "I thought we really had to grind it out and played a nice game," he said. "Murray State is a really good team. We put some runs together and that was really important."

            WNCC only trailed three times in the game – all in the first quarter. The last time Murray State had a lead was 13-11 after four points from Alena Wilson. That was when Shayane Poirot stepped up and hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put WNCC up 17-13. WNCC lead after the first quarter 17-15.

            The second quarter saw Murray State cut the lead to 19-18 on a trey by Briana Knabe, but WNCC answered with back-to-back buckets by Mia Jaye Sarkodee-Adoo and Ashley Panem to push the lead to 23-18. WNCC led 31-24 before Murray State sliced the lead to one, 31-30, before Henry buried a 3-pointer. WNCC led 34-32 at halftime.
            The second half was when the Cougars really played well and Panem said it was key for them to play well in that third quarter.

            "After what Shanti said, we kind of piggy-back off those clutch shots from the first half and we played like we normally play," Panem said.

            The third quarter saw WNCC run to a 42-33 lead before Murray came back to cut it to 42-39. WNCC pushed the lead to 10 points on four points from Martrice Brooks and a bucket by Payton Fields. WNCC led 56-45 after three on an Ale'Jah Douglas bucket.

            The fourth quarter saw WNCC lead 61-50 on a Henry trey and went up 65-52 after a Fields steal and bucket. WNCC  never looked back after that.

            WNCC had three in double figures, led by Douglas with 14 followed by Amani Brown with 13 and Henry with 12. WNCC also got eight points apiece from Fields and Poirot.

            WNCC won the rebound battle with Panem and Aminata Zie collecting eight each.

            WNCC has a day off before they face Wabash Valley, Henry said they will go to work to prepare for them on Thursday.

            "I am really excited to play Wabash Valley because they are probably one of the best teams here," Henry said. "I think it will be a fun game for all of us to play in."

Murray State (27-6)    15 16 14 14 – 59

WNCC (28-2)               17 17 22 15 – 71

MURRAY STATE

Alaijah Stewart 7, Lanie Gooch 9, Briana Knabe 15, Alena Wilson 13, Jumoke Adaramoye 6, Mattie Busby 5, Hollil Lindley 2, Elisa Sole Sanchez 2.

WNCC

Ale'Jah Douglas 14, Amani Brown 13, Aminata Zie 5, Shanti Henry 12, Payton Fields 8, Martrice Brooks 4, Ashley Panem 4, Shayane Poirot 8, Mia Jaye Sarkodee-Adoo 2, Rashaan Smith 1.