The North Central Missouri College women's basketball team is preparing for a first-round Region 16 game on Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock against the Wentworth Military Academy Red Dragons, doing so with positive momentum after winning games at Cottey College and Wentworth earlier this week.

Coming off of Saturday's loss at St. Louis, the Lady Pirates played sharp in earning payback at Cottey College on Tuesday night by a score of 61-51.

The win was the second in Region 16 play for the Lady Pirates, and avenged a loss suffered against Cottey at the Ketcham Community Center earlier this season.

For the Lady Pirates on Tuesday night, Lexi Hope had 20 points. Amanda Rodenberg had nine points to go with 10 rebounds. Alexis Goodwin added nine points and Mysti Williams seven. For Cottey, Bailey Braden had 16 points and Blaklee Sanders 12.

The Lady Pirates evened their season record at 14-14, and won their THIRD region game of the season, on Wednesday night, beating Wentworth by a score of 63-59.

In the game at Lexington, NCMC's women were led by Kelsey Griffin with 21 points (including three 3 point shots), with Samone Redditt scoring 14 points, Amanda Rodenberg 13, and Mysti Williams 10.

The Lady Pirates finish the Region 16 season at 3-5, earning a #4 seed for the postseason tournament. The #4 seed means North Central WILL HOST #5 seed Wentworth in the "play-in" game, this Saturday at 2 o'clock at the Ketcham Community Center. The winner advances to join St. Louis, Cottey, and Penn Valley next weekend at the semifinal round of the tournament at State Fair Community College in Sedalia.

The North Central men continue to struggle away from the Ketcham Community Center, suffering a heartbreaking loss on Wednesday night in Lexington, 79-71 in double overtime.

The defeat is the second for the Pirates against the Wentworth Red Dragons this season, and drops North Central's Region 16 record to 2-4.

The Red Dragons were led by Andre Scott with 26 points, Jacob Powell with 21, and Johnson Decembre with 14. The Red Dragons, after both squads scored two points each in the first overtime (the game was tied at 68 at the end of regulation), outscored NCMC 9-1 in overtime #2.

North Central Missouri College, now 11-13 on the season, was led by 18 points from Marshon Norfleet and Reggie Maxwell, and 16 points from Tyler Peterson.

The Lady Pirates and Pirates, in REGULAR season action on Tuesday, February 26th, will HOST John Wood Community College in a "White-Out" night at the Ketcham Community Center. The women's game tips off at 5:30, with the men at 7:30.

The men's region semifinals and finals will be Friday and Saturday, March 1st and 2nd at Penn Valley Community College in Kansas City. Should the North Central women beat Wentworth this Saturday afternoon, the Lady Pirates would play in the Region 16 semifinals on Saturday, March 2nd in Sedalia (State Fair CC). The Region 16 WOMEN'S championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 3rd.