Round Lake 49, Vernon Hills 42

Wins have rarely come easy for Round Lake's girls basketball team.

So no way was its first 20-win season in eight years going to be a matter of just showing up against visiting Vernon Hills on Friday night.

While the Panthers had ample motivation, considering it was parents night and they were trying to avenge one of their three losses this season, they were once again pushed to the limit by the pesky Cougars.

"They're a good team," Panthers senior Brittany Kucia said. "They're well-coached."

So is Round Lake, which prevailed 49-42 to improve to 20-3.

"We knew that we were going to win (this season), but we didn't know we were going to win this much," Kucia said.

It's the first time the Panthers have hit the milestone since the 1999-2000 season and just the fourth time they've achieved it in their history. It was only three years ago that they won just one game.

"It's a great thing for our kids," said coach Gary Edge, whose team improved to 9-2 in the North Suburban Prairie Division.

Vernon Hills (9-15, 4-5) handed Round Lake its first loss of the season on Dec. 5, 31-26, and played the Panthers evenly for most of the night. The Cougars were in position to pull off the upset again.

"We really concentrate on being a defensively strong team, pressuring the ball and making sure that we can force them to do the things that we know how to do right," Vernon Hills' Lauren Bryant said. "We just try to work together and force turnovers -- force them to think twice about what they're going to do."

The Cougars enjoyed a 37-35 lead when freshman Jessica Schwartz scored off a missed shot with 5:11 left in the fourth quarter.

But Kucia answered with a clutch 3-pointer. A free throw by Amy Burton (game-high 13 points) got Vernon Hills within 40-38.

Kucia then canned another 3 with 2:52 to go.

Labrenthia Murdock, who was sick earlier in the week and didn't start, led Round Lake with 12 points. Kucia added 11 (three 3s), while Amber Phillips and Jazzamin Rivers contributed 8 apiece.

"I was struggling in the first (half). I couldn't hit anything," said Kucia, who had just 3 points at halftime. "Coach (Edge) took me out and pulled me aside and talked to me about getting focused.

"I actually listened to my coach," she added with a smile. "I just knew what I had to do. I wasn't going to let us lose this game. No way."

Said Vernon Hills coach Paul Brettner: "Kucia hit some big 3s. What are you going to do? A couple of daggers that really cost us."

While Vernon Hills committed 27 turnovers, the Cougars were strong on the boards. Bryant and Brianna Skeens each had 9 rebounds, and Schwartz grabbed 7.

"I guess we match up pretty well with (Round Lake)," Brettner said. "I think it just basically boils down to that it doesn't matter the difference in talent level or years, we're going to have a good game here and we're going to have a good game at our place. It's just a good rivalry."

"Give Vernon Hills credit," Edge said. "They are a well-disciplined, well-coached team. Paul does a great job with them."