Tough Ending After Battling Back

In an exciting Region IX South matchup, the Plainsmen traveled to Scottsbluff to play the Western Nebraska Cougars.  The Northeastern men have played teams much better on the road than they have at home, so they were excited to get the chance at winning at the Cougar Palace.  The Cougars were able to get the Plainsmen here in Sterling, but now the men knew how to defend and execute against the Cougars.  The game was set, players were anxious, refs were ready, and so the game began.

Right off the tip, the Plainsmen proved they were a different team then what they were in the first semester by keeping up with the Cougars and leading them within the first four minutes.  At the 13 minute mark, the tides had turned and the Plainsmen found themselves on a cold streak.  Northeastern would find themselves behind 14 points after a run by WNCC.  With the game nearing halftime, the Plainsmen were still unable to get things rolling in their direction and found themselves trailing by 17 with a score of 49-32.

At halftime, the Plainsmen knew they were not out of it and were due for a run of their own because of how cold they were in the first.  They just had to chip away at it and slowly climb back into the game.  As the second would begin, the Plainsmen would come out with some enthusiasm and get eight points back within the first five minutes.  With the score being 61-51, there was still more work to be done by the Plainsmen if they wanted to come away with a victory.   In the following five minutes, the Plainsmen would get a few more points back off the lead, now only trailing by seven.  At the six-minute mark in the game, Northeastern had done what they needed and tied the game up 75-75, and even getting the lead with a pair of made free throws.  With plenty of game left, the Plainsmen needed to keep up their aggressiveness and play the way that got them back into the game.  In the next few minutes, NJC would allow the Cougars to get slight margin on them, but were able to get it back within two.  With only 22 seconds left in the game, the Plainsmen would have the shot clock against them, as it would be WNCC's ball.  Following a foul and only one free throw being made off a double bonus, the Plainsmen had the ball with 10 seconds to go.  As the ball was being pushed up the sideline, the Plainsmen would turn the ball over, which would result in a foul and the Cougars shooting free throws.  The Plainsmen would fall to the Cougars with a score of 97-92.

The Plainsmen look to regroup and get back on track as they host the Laramie County Golden Eagles here in Sterling.