(Editor's note: Miles Community College media releases)
The Miles Community College men's and women's basketball teams wrapped up regular-season play on Thursday against Williston State. The MCC women suffered their first loss of the season, as Williston State scored 47 second-half points to earn a 68-63 win. The MCC women had already clinched the MonDak Conference regular-season title and will host either Bismarck State and Williston State on April 1 in a semifinal game of the Region XIII playoffs. The Pioneer men, meanwhile, edged Williston State 73-69 on Thursday to secure a home game in the Region XIII playoffs. MCC will host Williston State in a rematch in the playoff quarterfinals on March 30.
Miles Community College men 73, Williston State 69
Favour Chukwukelu scored 22 points and Remy Lemovou notched a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 11 blocked shots to lead the MCC Pioneers to a 73-69 win at Williston State and secure a home game in the MonDak Conference quarterfinals. The same two teams will meet again on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in Miles City. MCC finished the regular season 13-9 overall and 12-9 in conference play. WSC was 11-10 overall.
Ben Datro came off the bench to score 14 points and grab eight rebounds for the Pioneers while Dylan Hushaw had 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Pioneers out-rebounded the Tetons 48-41 in the game. The Pioneers shot 29 of 68 (43%) from the floor compared to the Tetons' 29 of 85 (34%), and the teams combined to shoot a total of only 13 free throws. MCC was 11 of 23 from the 3-point line and WSC hit 6 of 27 3s.
Alonzo Linton led the Tetons with 21 points and Caleb Johnson added 20. Keenan Reynolds had 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven steals.
The Pioneers will host Williston State on Tuesday, March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Region XIII playoffs. The winner of the game will play at Dawson Community College on Thursday night in the semifinal round of the playoffs.
Admission for the game is $8 for adults and $5 for students. No regular-season passes will be honored as it is a Region XIII event. The public is welcome to attend and masks will be required for all of those in attendance at the game.
Williston State women 68, Miles Community College 63
The Williston State Tetons rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit and trailed by 16 in the third quarter but put together a 47-point second half to stun the former undefeated and 23rd-ranked MCC Pioneers 68-63 on Thursday night in Williston, N.D.
The Pioneers had already clinched the MonDak Conference regular-season title and were looking for their second undefeated regular season in the past three campaigns. Williston had other plans as the Tetons got hot from the 3-point line and held the Pioneers to only 30 second-half points to pull off the win.
Rebekah Dallinger led the charge for the Pioneers, scoring 26 points, and Jana Conejero added 14 while Olyvia Pacheco chipped in 12. Williston dominated the Pioneers on the boards 41-26. Kate Tanner led MCC with seven rebounds.
Williston State had five players in double figures led by Keeley Tini with 16 points, and the Tetons shot 10 of 22 from beyond the arc while the Pioneers hit a mere 5 of 24.
MCC finished the regular season 21-1 (20-1 MonDak Conference) and will host the Region XIII semifinals on Thursday, April 1 and play the winner of Bismarck State and Williston State. Thursday's semifinal game will be at 7 p.m.
