Pronghorn women come up short in Region IX championship game

Scottsbluff, Neb.--The Gillette College Pronghorn women gave it their all, but couldn't hold on against the Western Nebraska Lady Cougars on their home court. The final was 62-54.

The Pronghorns started off with an 8-4 lead. However, the Lady Cougars were able to light it up outside the arc. The Pronghorns trailed by as many as 13 points in the half. Gillette College fought back to cut it down to a seven-point lead for the Lady Cougars. They trailed, 32-23, at halftime.

Gillette College helped out Western Nebraska by getting into foul trouble early. The Pronghorns were also called for a few offensive fouls and travels inside the paint.

Western Nebraska took advantage of the fouls Gillette College committed on them. They were eight for eight from the free throw line, as the Lady Cougars were only called for 3 fouls in the first half.

In the second half, Gillette College slowly worked to come back and tie up the ballgame at 44 and its first lead of the half at 46-44.

The Lady Cougars took the lead back at 51-48 and never let it go. A couple triples by Western Nebraska kept it out of reach for Gillette College, as the Lady Cougars won a spot in the NJCAA national tournament in Salina, Kan.

The Pronghorn women broke plenty of records in the 2012-13 season. They made it to the semifinals and finals of the Region IX tournament for the first time in the team's four-year history. The women finished with a 28-6 record, their best ever. They also achieved other feats, like defeating Casper College, both on the road and at home, for the first time.