Nic Squanders 20-Point Lead, Drops Game To Dixie, 74-69

Collapse. Choke. Fold.

Any of the three words would aptly describe how the North Idaho College women’s basketball team lost Saturday.

The Cardinals committed 17 second-half turnovers as the Dixie Rebels rallied for a 74-69 Scenic West Athletic Conference victory at Christianson Gym.

NIC led 40-22 at halftime, and had its biggest lead at 40-20 just seconds before intermission.

The Cards scored the first point of the second half on a free throw by Tanya Kirk, her 18th point of the game. But the Cardinals fell apart after that as Kirk managed just two more points the rest of the way.

“It was Utah Valley all over again,” NIC coach Greg Crimp said, alluding to the Cards’ problems against full-court pressure last weekend. “The pressure got to us and then we malfunctioned in every facet of the game. We hit the panic button and didn’t do anything.”

NIC dropped to 1-3 in conference, 10-3 overall. Dixie evened its conference mark at 2-2 (7-5 overall).

It took Dixie nearly 16 minutes to catch NIC. A jumper by Summer Hanks tied the score at 58-all with 4:26 left, and Sunny Myers sank two free throws to put the Rebels ahead for the first time at 60-58 at the 3:56 mark.

Dixie took the lead for good when Myers made a 3-pointer for a 63-60 lead with 2:52 left.

NIC’s Ann Radmall pulled her team within one at 70-69 when she made a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left. But Myers made four free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.

, DataTimes