CHEYENNE, Wyo. – An 18-point performance from freshman Sarah Kruthaupt (Las Vegas, Nevada) was still not enough as the Laramie County Community College women's basketball team fell to Eastern Wyoming College on Wednesday, 83-69 at home.
The Golden Eagles drop to 5-5 in Region IX South and 14-12 overall, the Lancers improve to 5-5 in Region IX South and 15-10 overall for the season.
This was the second lost for LCCC against Eastern Wyoming as they fell in OT back on Jan. 29th.
Sarah Kruthaupt added five rebounds to go along with her 18 points. Sophomore Darian Hale (Briggsdale, Colorado) added with 11 points while sophomore Madison Hamm (Fort Collins, Colorado) contributed with 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Golden Eagles had their lowest shooting percentages since Trinidad State (Jan. 13th) shooting 36 percent (27-75) from the floor and 23.8 percent from the perimeter (5-21). They had their best performance on the boards since McCook CC (Jan. 24th), bringing down 47 rebounds.
The Lancers were led by a double-double effort from Pamela Bethel with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Lauren O'Connell led them in scoring with 22 points. Abril Rexach Roure joined them in double-figures with 15 points after shooting 7-for-12 from the field.
Eastern Wyoming shot 44.1 percent from the field (30-68), 50 percent from beyond the arc (11-22), and hit 75 percent from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles did outrebound the Lancers 47-43.
The Golden Eagles jumped to an early lead, gapping the Lancers by nine points after the first quarter. A couple treys helped pushed lead to nine at the end of the quarter.
EWC cut the lead down to four after starting the second quarter on a 5-0 run. A basket from sophomore Madison Hamm ended that run for the Lancers but the Golden Eagles would struggle from the field in the second quarter only scoring eight points.
Eastern Wyoming would go on a 16-4 run to close out the half with a 37-31 lead.
The Golden Eagles would start slow in the third quarter falling behind double-digits. LCCC would close that gap down and get within three with 1:38 left in the quarter and trailed 58-51 after three.
Laramie County came out and pressed the Lancers in the fourth quarter but the Lancers were able to remain hot from the field and hold on for the win.
Laramie County returns home on Saturday to host Western Nebraska Community College at 2 p.m. in the RAC. Tickets for this and all LCCC home basketball games are $5 adults, $3 students, $2 seniors and military and free to LCCC students, staff and faculty with a valid LCCC ID.
For the latest on Laramie County Community College Women's Basketball, stay tuned to golccc.com and follow the team on Twitter @lcccsports and @lcccwbasketball.