Cyclones End Skid with Home Win

Coming off an 0-3 start to the conference season, SCTCC entered Saturday's home game versus Western Wisconsin Technical College Cavaliers needing to get back in the win column.  The Cyclones provided an entertaining afternoon for the home fans by pulling out a 95-91 victory at the Whitney Recreation Center. 

The Cyclones began the game focused, and it showed on both ends of the floor.  The hot shooting on the offensive end was provided by a few different players as the home team hit 53% from the floor including 6 of 10 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes.  Freshman Riley West (Lakeville, MN) provided the bulk of the scoring with 17 first half points.  Freshman Leland Harris (Brooklyn Park, MN) came off the bench to hit 3 of 3 from beyond the 3 point line.  Fellow Freshman Zach Jiskra (Sartell, MN) added to the total with 10 points.  SCTCC jumped out to a 30-15 lead, only to have the lead cut to 54-46 at half.

The second half was more of the same, with both teams continuing the high paced and high scoring exchange.  Western would shoot 5 of 11 from three and manage to cut the Cyclone lead to 3 with only seconds remaining.  Ray Goines had  three free throw attempts to potentially tie the game.  Western would miss all three and Riley West would hit 1 of 2 from the line to put the game out of reach.  The Cavaliers were led by Cody Krueger with 29 points overall, but only one other player reach double figures for the visitors as they came up short.

West would finish the afternoon with a season high 36 points.  Freshman Jett Leaf (Howard Lake, MN) added 17 points.  Freshman Alex Matchinsky (St. Cloud, MN) and Leland Harris both contributed 14 points.  Zach Jiskra had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Game Stats vs WW
SCTCC will hit the road this week to face MN-West CC on Wednesday night in Worthington, and follow that up with a trip to Fergus Falls Saturday to play MN State-Fergus Falls.