College basketball: Lady Wranglers keep it close but eventually lose

The end result was the same for the Odessa College women’s basketball team, but the learning curve seemed to ease Monday night for the Lady Wranglers as they put themselves in position to win a game for the first time since Jan. 4.

However, after taking a two-point lead with less than eight minutes to play, Odessa College watched Western Texas go on a 10-4 run to regain control and then hang on for a 72-68 win in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference game at the OC Sports Center.

It is the sixth consecutive loss for OC (4-17 overall, 0-7 conference). The Lady Wranglers begin the second round of conference play Thursday against New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, N.M.

Whitney Goard scored 17 points, Diandra Marquez had 14 points and Jennifer Colli scored 10 points for Odessa College.

“I thought we played pretty well,” OC coach Ara Baten said. “It’s been a while since we’ve been in a position to win a game late, and I thought that the effort was there and it just came down to Western Texas making a few more plays at the end of the game.

“Our kids executed the game plan we gave them. I thought a big key was when Western Texas moved into a zone on defense after we took the lead, and we didn’t do a good job handling that. Give them credit for that.”

Sirena Medrano scored 17 points, Iesha Everline had 14 points and Marah Guzman scored 12 points for Western Texas (12-9, 5-2).

After Kasia Suknarowska’s 23-foot 3-pointer gave Odessa College a 56-54 lead with less than eight minutes to play, Medrano answered with a 3-pointer to give Western Texas the lead for good. Everline scored five of the next seven points to help the Lady Westerners open a 64-60 lead with 2:43 left to play.

Marquez hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to pull Odessa College within one, but that was as close as the Lady Wranglers would get. Guzman made two free throws and Ariel Sanchez broke free for a layup to give Western Texas a 68-63 lead.

“I thought it was a pretty good basketball game,” Baten said. “We did what we could offensively and gave ourselves a chance.”

Western Texas 72, Odessa College 68

WESTERN TEXAS (12-9 overall, 5-2 in WJCAC)

Marah Guzman4 5-8 12, Sirean Medrano 4 7-11 17, Dee Dee East 4 -01 9, Ariel Sanchez 3 1-2 7, Iesha Everline 5 3-8 14, Christie Moss, 0 0-0 0, Taylor Ginger 1 0-0 2, Shareno Wilson 1 0-0 2, Simone Jackson 1 0-0 2, Breanna Talavera 3 0-0 7. Totals 26 16-30 72.

ODESSA COLLEGE (4-17, 0-7)

Jennifer Colli 3 4-7 10, Whitney Goard 6 5-8 17, Ashley Farrell 3 2-6 8, Diandra Marquez 5 0-0 14, Priscilla Mbiandja 2 0-0 4, Amanda Burnett 2 3-4 7, Whitney Davis 0 0-0 0, LaKeisha Harris 0 0-0 0, Kasia Suknarowska 1 1-2 4, Carlo Wade 1 0-0 2, Trivonne Senegal 1 0-2 2. Totals 24 15-29 68.

Halftime — Western Texas 38, Odessa College 31. 3-Point goals — Western Texas 4-7 (Guzman 0-1, Medrano 2-2, East 1-3, Talavera 1-1), Odessa College 5-14 (Colli 0-2, Marquez 4-4, Mbiandja 0-2, Burnett 0-1, Suknarowska 1-4, Wade 0-1). Total fouls — Western Texas 26, Odessa College 22. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — Odessa College Bench. Rebounds — Western Texas 46 (East 9), Odessa College (42 (Goard 7). Assists — Western Texas 11 (Everline 4), Odessa College 10 (Mbiandja 4).

WJCAC Women

Overall Conf.

South Plains 17-2 6-0

Midland College 20-3 6-1

Western Texas 12-9 5-2

Howard 18-5 4-3

Frank Phillips 16-5 3-4

Clarendon 11-10 2-5

New Mexico JC 3-18 1-5

Odessa College 4-17 0-7

Thursday, Jan. 24

Frank Phillips 68, Odessa College 52

South Plains 63, Howard 56

Clarendon 72, New Mexico JC 58

Midland College, open

Western Texas, open

Monday’s Games

Western Texas 72, Odessa College 68

Midland College 54, Frank Phillips 50

South Plains at New Mexico JC (late)

Clarendon, open

Howard, open

Thursday, Jan. 31

Odessa College at New Mexico JC

Midland College at Howard

Frank Phillips at South Plains

Western Texas at Clarendon