NORTH PLATTE, NE – The Central Wyoming College Rustlers men's basketball team closed out their 2025/26 season on March 7 with a hard-fought road battle against North Platte Community College, ultimately falling in a narrow 78-73 decision.

Late Surge Not Enough for Rustlers

The contest was a game of two halves, with North Platte holding a 33-27 advantage at the intermission. The Rustlers found their offensive rhythm in the second half, outscoring the Knights 46-45, but were unable to fully erase the early deficit.

CWC's effort was led by a standout performance from Jordan Peel, who scored a team-high 21 points while playing the full 40 minutes. Julian Ormond returned from a two month injury hiatus to put up a 18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists stat line. Daniel Smith also provided a strong presence in the paint, recording a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Free Throw Disparity Proves Critical

A key factor in the outcome was North Platte's ability to capitalize at the charity stripe. The Knights converted 23-of-30 (76.7%) free throw attempts, while the Rustlers finished 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the line. North Platte was led by Brady Kennison, who poured in 25 points, including a perfect 12-of-12 performance from the free-throw line.

The Rustlers finish their season with an overall record of 10-18, and a conference record of 4-8.