GILLETTE, WY – The Laramie County Community College women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker to Gillette College on Wednesday night 61-60 after carrying leads of double digits in the third and fourth quarters.
After starting things out with a 4-0 lead, LCCC saw the Pronghorns close it back to a one possession game several times in the first quarter, but thanks to a balanced attack from four different scorers, the Golden Eagles pulled away to a 15-11, helped by a 6-0 run in the middle of the quarter.
The offense continued to whir along in the second quarter, with Jessica Bakhsh hitting one of her two first half threes to spark the offense to a 5-0 run at the start, and a late drive of scoring inside pushed the lead to 33-24 until a buzzer beating three by Gillette closed the gap to six going into the half.
The second half opened in better fashion than anyone could have hoped for with a 6-0 run sparked by Bakhsh hitting two threes out of the gate to push the lead to 39-27.
The lead would grow to as much as 13 when the Golden Eagles went ahead 44-31, but that would be the high-water mark of the game.
Foul trouble and turnovers began to creep into the LCCC vision and a 49-39 lead at the end of the third didn't quite feel safe.
The Pronghorns closed the lead to just four at 51-47 after an early push inside in the quarter. LCCC answered with a 7-0 run triggered by a Kelly Megown three, one of seven from deep that the team would notch in the game.
Up 58-49 is when the problems began for LCCC. Over the next three minutes, Gillette closed the gap to a three point 60-57 LCCC lead. After a timeout by the Golden Eagles, they missed their opportunity and the Pronghorns hit a three to tie the game at 60.
Both sides got one more possession, with LCCC failing to score on an inside look from Lylah Spring. The Pronghorns took a timeout of their own with 10 seconds remaining and after a missed first shot, Malena Edwards was fouled going for the rebound, and with .9 seconds made on of two to give the lead to Gillette.
LCCC did get an inbounds play drawn up, but couldn't get the shot off before the buzzer, and for the second time in conference play, dropped to Gillette, falling to 4-6 in Region IX North action.
Bakhsh and Spring were the only Golden Eagles in double figures, both scoring 14 points. Megown finished with nine.
Blanche Toualeu hit a new career high in assists with nine in the game, going with seven points and six rebounds.
LCCC finished the game with 20 turnovers, most of which came in the second half after only five were tallied in the opening frame. Offensive rebounding was another issue, with Gillette securing 18 offensive rebounds in the game and outrebounding LCCC 38-35.
There is a long layoff for the Golden Eagles as they wait until the start of March for their next game on Friday the 1st when they host Western Wyoming Community College at Storey Gym.
More can be found on this game and others at www.golccc.com.