The Pronghorns (16-10, 7-6) got a much needed victory against Central Wyoming’s Rustlers (17-9, 6-8) Saturday night at the South Campus, 69-64.
Gillette College went into halftime with a 37-32 lead despite a first half that saw plenty of lead changes and ties.
The Pronghorns shot 48 percent from the floor, which was four percent better than Central Wyoming College. Nonetheless, it was Gillette College’s free throw opportunities at the end of the game that sealed the deal. Matt Strickland was 7-of-10 from the line, and four other Pronghorns were perfect.
Defensively, the Pronghorns had 24 defensive rebounds compared to 18 for the Rustlers. In total, Gillette College had 12 more rebounds than Central Wyoming.
However, Central Wyoming was able to stay in the game due to their three-point capabilities. Of the Rustlers’ nine three-pointers, Preston Eaton made five and Malachi Roberts sank three. Gillette College, on the other hand, made only three of them Saturday night.
George Edwards led the Pronghorns with a game-high 21 points Saturday. Also scoring in double digits for Gillette was Matt Strickland with 14 points, and James Hunter who chipped in 10. For the Rustlers, Malakei Roberts and Preston Eaton led the way with 15 points apiece, followed by James Johnson with 14 points and Armani Flannigan with 10.
The win for Gillette College is significant as they attempt to get a higher seed towards the Region IX playoffs. The Pronghorns are ranked No. 6 currently in the North Subregion, but they have three remaining tough games. Their next two games are on the road against Casper College and Northwest College, and then the Pronghorns will close out the regular season at home against Sheridan College on February 28.
Next, the Pronghorns hit the road to take on Casper College on Wednesday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Scoring Summary for the Pronghorns:
George Edwards – 21 points
Matt Strickland – 14 points
James Hunter – 10 points
Reece Maxwell – 9 points
Kash McKinney – 8 points
Asante Smiter – 5 points
Kalen Foreman – 2 points
Scoring Summary for the Rustlers:
Malakei Roberts – 15
Preston Eaton – 15 points
James Johnson – 14 points
Armani Flannigan – 10 points
Ali Sabra – 5 points
Jordan Phouthazong – 3 points
Braden Wright – 2 points
