Second-half scoring drought costs Northeastern JC women at Southeast

LINCOLN, Neb. — Northeastern Junior College went into halftime dead even but could not overcome a cold second half, falling on the road to Southeast on Thursday night after a 29-29 tie at the break.

The Plainswomen matched Southeast shot for shot through the opening 20 minutes, but after halftime the offense stalled. Shots that had fallen early stopped dropping, allowing Southeast to gradually pull away in the third and fourth quarters and hand Northeastern a frustrating road defeat.

Guard Monique Sena led Northeastern with 17 points, providing consistent scoring on the perimeter to help keep the Plainswomen in contention. Rebekah Seggerman added 11 points, giving the team another backcourt option and contributing to the balanced first-half effort that produced the 29-29 tie at intermission.

Forward Daniela Garcia Gasco was a focal point inside, finishing with 10 points and a team-high 9 rebounds as Northeastern battled on the glass. Her work on the boards helped limit second-chance opportunities for Southeast in the first half and gave the Plainswomen extra possessions before the offense cooled after the break.

Veronica Baray chipped in 7 points and 5 rebounds, adding energy on both ends of the floor. Despite the contributions from Sena, Garcia Gasco, Seggerman and Baray, Northeastern’s shooting struggles in the second half proved decisive, as Southeast capitalized on the Plainswomen’s missed looks to control the tempo down the stretch.

Tied at halftime, Northeastern entered the final two quarters within striking distance but “was not able to finish the game strong,” according to the team’s postgame assessment. With key road dates still ahead, including a conference matchup at Lamar on Feb. 15, the Plainswomen will look to build on the competitive first half and find more consistency in late-game situations.