CHEYENNE, WY - The Laramie County Community College men's basketball team showed their potential on Monday night as they had #7 Salt Lake Community College on the ropes for much of the second half before the Bruins rallied late to win 95-89 at the Blue FCU RAC to end the Golden Eagles four game winning streak. 

The game opened with the Golden Eagles finding themselves in an early hole when the Bruins went on an 11-4 run going into the first media timeout to put the team down 16-8 early on. That didn't last long though and LCCC found their offensive footing to rally and take the lead for the first time in the game at 23-22. 

Both sides settled into a back and forth game for the rest of the first half, and neither team could get any distance from the other with the largest lead during the final 10 minutes of the first half being a six point LCCC advantage, taking the lead going into the half at 43-42 and capping it off with a Davion Butler three to go into the locker rooms up 46-42. 

The hot shooting continued in the early second half with the Golden Eagles going on an 8-2 run to open up a ten point lead at 54-44 in the first two minutes and forced Salt Lake to call a timeout. 

Out of the timeout, the Bruins rallied to cut the deficit to one at 54-53, but LCCC was able to keep the lead and build it back to 62-53 as the two sides traded haymakers. Another salvo from the Bruins tied the game at 62, but a TJ Coulter layup kept them in front at 64-62. 

From there, the lead didn't get to any more than two possessions for LCCC but they continued to hold the Salt Lake offense at bay, despite the SLCC roster shooting 61 percent in the second half as a group. 

With five minutes to go, the game began to take a more physical style, and both teams ended up in the double bonus as free throws became on of the dominant factors in the game. Both teams took over 20 free throws in the second half with most coming in that final stretch of the game as the two offenses focused on attacking the paint. 

The Bruins were able to collect their first lead of the game with four minutes to go, but the Golden Eagles refused to go away and were able to trade leads until a three point play from SLCC put them up 84-81, and a missed free throw on an answering and-one from Phoenix Bullock kept them in front 84-83 with two minutes left. 

SLCC made their next basket to take a three-point advantage and that would be the seperation they needed to put the game to bed, going 8-8 from the free throw line down the stretch and not allowing LCCC to get the defensive stop they needed, finishing off the 95-89 win to drop LCCC back to 5-5 on the season. 

Butler led the Golden Eagles in scoring on the night with 26 points and was joined by Bullock who added another 24 points. The duo also added a nine rebounds and three assists. Brevin Phillips finished the game with 14 points and six rebounds and Kevin Sylla rounded out the four LCCC players in double figures coming up just shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. TJ Coulter led the team in assists with five while also pulling down seven rebounds. 

The Golden Eagles shot 75 percent from the free throw line and out-rebounded the Bruins 38-36 but as a team, LCCC turned the ball over 17 times and committed 25 fouls which were difference makers down the stretch. 

The Golden Eagles are back in action on Friday and Saturday when they travel on to McCook and North Platte to take on the Indians and the Knights in turnaround action after hosting the two schools to open the season. The Golden Eagles fell to McCook 88-83 and took down North Platte 77-75 on November 1st and 2nd. 

More information on the schedule can be found at www.golccc.com.