The North Central Missouri College women, in action broadcast Wednesday night on Hot Country Z 101.7, struggled in the second half of a Region 16 contest with Cottey College, falling by a final score of 71-48, dropping NCMC to 9-13 on the season, and 0-4 in Region 16 play.

The Lady Pirates led for the entire first half, until a late Cottey surge brought the Comets to a one-point lead at halftime, courtesy of a two-point basket with 15 seconds remaining in the half. The Lady Pirates never led again.

Cottey outscored North Central 42-20 in the second half, using a swarming zone defense to create a multitude of turnovers and fast-break baskets, frustrating NCMC in the process. Blaklee Sanders led Cottey with 21 points, Dayna Turnbull had 14, Bailey Braden 13, and Selena Gochenour 12 for the Comets, now 13-1 on the season, and 3-1 in Region 16. Cottey's only loss came in mid-January, in a 20 point defeat to Penn Valley on the Comets home floor in Nevada.

North Central was led by 16 points from Mysti Williams, 13 from Samone Redditt, and 11 points from Amanda Rodenberg. The North Central men, who had Wednesday night off, will HOST the North Arkansas Pioneers this Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock (on Hot Country Z 101.7 and 'Internet TV'). The North Central women will travel to Fayette on Sunday to play Central Methodist's JV squad at 2 o'clock.