GILLETTE, Wyo. – Reece Randolph and Mathiang Maker combined for 43 points, but it wasn't enough as the Western Nebraska Community College Cougar men dropped an 112-83 contest to Gillette College Saturday evening in Gillette, Wyoming.

                WNCC, 5-11, will have two weeks off before they open South Conference play the weekend of January 24 and 25 at home against Otero and Trinidad State.

                Saturday's contest was one where the Cougars battled Gillette College in the first half despite having several players out because of illness or injury.

                The Cougars and Gillette were tied at 16-16 with 13:30 to play in the opening half on two Noah Jones free throws. WNCC continued playing well as they led 27-24 on an Isaiah St. Preux bucket.

                After that, Gillette went on a 9-0 run to take a 33-27 lead. WNCC battled back to make it a 4-point contest, 41-37, on two Kellon Harris free throws. The Pronghorns put together a 9-0 run to lead 50-37 and led 55-45 after hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

                The second half saw the two teams trade buckets for the first four minutes until Gillette hit three straight 3-pointers for a 72-55 lead. The Cougars battled back, slicing the deficit to just 11 points, 80-69, on a Dorin Nguema bucket.

                Things changed after that as Gillette went on a 12-0 run to lead 92-69 before a Maker free throw stopped the run. That was, momentarily, as Gillette went back on a 13-0 run to lead 105-70 to claim the 112-83 win.

                The two teams shot about the same. WNCC was 42 percent from the field and 8-of-24 from beyond the arc while burying 21-of-26 free throws. Gillette shot 53 percent while making 10-of-31 from beyond the arc. Gillette was 22-of-26 from the free throw line.

                Gillette had six players in double figures, led by Caleb Hollenbeck with 23 points and four 3-pointers.

                WNCC was led by Maker with 23 points and eight rebounds. Randolph tallied 20 points with four 3-pointers. Also hitting double digits was Harris with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Noah Jones had 10 points and two late 3-pointers.        

WNCC (5-11)                 45 38 – 83
Gillette (17-1)                55 57 – 112
WNCC
Reece Randolph 20, Kellon Harris 14, Isaiah St. Preux 9, Mathiang Maker 23, Dorin Nguema 7, Noah Jones 10.
GILLETTE
Dane Christensen 14, Andrew Fuquay 10, Caleb Hollenbeck 23, Jefferson Neary 4, Dorell Thomas 15, Sayed Sayed 9, Malique Moss 15, Aly Sakho 7, Javonne Nesbit 15.