NCMC Men Roll Up Win, Women Fall

The North Central Missouri College basketball teams were in action on Wednesday night, traveling to Olathe, KS to take on Johnson County Community College. The North Central women didn’t fare too well, falling 80-46, but the Pirates scored a victory, topping Johnson County 72-68 in the men’s game.
Lady Pirates
The NCMC women played right with Johnson County early on, staying within striking distance over the first 15 minutes of the game. The last five minutes of the first half and the entire second half were a different story. Johnson County, ranked second nationally, went on a run and turned the game into a blowout.
“We played well the first 15 minutes and were only down two points with five minutes left in the first half,” Lady Pirates’ Head Coach Jenni Croy said. “(Johnson County) strikes quick and they are extremely deep. We missed a few shots and turned the ball over a few times and they converted our mistakes into points.”
The Lady Pirates were led by Kayla Oetterer, who had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Brooke Parton added 13 points, four assists and two steals.
With the loss, the Lady Pirates fell to 6-11 on the season.
Pirates
The North Central men were able to pull out a win over Johnson County. A close first half saw Johnson County gain a 38-37 lead. The second half was a battle as well, but when the final buzzer sounded, it was the Pirates holding a four-point advantage.
NCMC was led in the victory by Xavier Newson who had 23 points and eight rebounds. Tyrell Thirkield added 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals and Jory Woodson finished with 16 points, two assists and a steal. A balanced scoring attack saw 10 different Pirates find their way into the scorebook.
“This was a good win for us,” Pirates’ Head Coach Steve Richman said. “We have had several games like that go the other way this year, so it’s important to win one like that, especially on the road.”
With the win the Pirates snapped a two-game slide, improving to 7-8 on the season.
The North Central men will return to the court on Friday, playing host to the Missouri Valley junior varsity at the Ketcham Community Center in Trenton. The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m.
The Pirates will play North Arkansas in Kansas City on Monday and the Lady Pirates return to action on Tuesday, playing host to Cottey College in a Region 16 game in Trenton. That contest is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.