Lily Osborn Goes Off From Beyond The Arc, Pirates Win

No. 6 NCMC Men Go To Overtime Again, But Can’t Find Victory

Lily Osborn caught the pass just off the right side of the top of the key. Almost seamlessly she took one step back and fired off a three-pointer with a hand in her face. The ball splashed home as the North Central Missouri College women’s basketball team erupted from the bench.
When you’re on, you’re on and on this night, Osborn was definitely on.
By the end of a 97-72 NCMC victory, Osborn had a game-high 26 points, connecting on 8-of-14 shots from distance. She did the bulk of her damage in the first half, hitting six of her three-pointers as the Pirates raced out to a 49-32 halftime lead.
“Lily was taking good shots and was in great rhythm,” North Central coach Jenni Croy said. “She was shot ready on every catch. The team did a great job of finding her when she was open. That’s what’s great about this team, they get so excited to see their teammate have this kind of success.”
While Osborn’s three-point show was drawing the biggest reactions from the crowd, she was hardly the only Pirate doing damage.
Maci Moore had her second double-double in as many games, going for 20 points and 11 rebounds. In just two collegiate games, the should-be high school senior is averaging 19 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Kortlyn Rounkles backed Osborn and Moore with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Angel Wiggins added 10 points.
On the other side, John Wood got 14 points from Trenton native Mykah Hurley, a sophomore, who teamed with Moore to help lift Trenton to the Show-Me Showdown in 2018.
The win pushed the 15th-ranked Pirates to 2-0 overall on the season.
MEN
The No. 6 North Central men found themselves in overtime for the second time in as many games, but unlike Wednesday’s season opener, which saw the Pirates defeat Kansas City Kansas in double overtime, Sunday’s overtime game ended in defeat.
The Pirates found themselves in a back-and-forth game from the onset, trading blows with John Wood throughout the first half. At the break the Pirates trailed just 43-42. In the second half neither team was able to get clear of their opponent as the nip and tuck action continues. At the end of regulation, North Central found itself headed into overtime again.
There wouldn’t be a second overtime this time around, however. John Wood had enough to put the Pirates away in the first bonus period, dropping North Central to 1-1 overall.
Individual statistics were unavailable for the men’s game as of press time.
North Central entered the game as the sixth-ranked team in the NJCAA Division II preseason poll. John Wood was receiving votes in that same poll, but had not cracked the top 20.
Both North Central squads travel to face Mineral Area Community College in Park Hills today (Tuesday). The women’s game tips off at 3 o’clock with the men to follow at 5.
The North Central men will be at home on Friday as well, hosting the Peru State junior varsity in a men’s-only match-up. Tip off for that game is slated for 6 p.m. at the Ketcham Community Center.
The North Central women will be on the road on Saturday, traveling to take on Crowder College. That women’s-only match-up is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip.