November 6, 2008

Lady Tigers tripped up by 10th-ranked Connors State, 66-61

Facing the 10th-ranked Connors State Cowgirls Wednesday at W.S. Scott Auditorium, the No. 30-ranked Cowley College women’s basketball team showed a lot of character by rallying from a 12-point second half deficit to lead with five minuets left. However, turnovers proved costly for the Lady Tigers as they ended up losing 66-61.

Cowley turned the ball over 16 times in the first half as the Cowgirls grabbed a 31-26 halftime lead. Connors State’s lead would grow to 42-30 after a basket by Kameisha Johnson with 16 minutes remaining.

Trailing by nine points (52-43) and having its top-returning scorer, Elena Yankova, saddled with four fouls, the Lady Tigers mounted a rally. Cowley scored 10 straight points and grabbed a 53-52 lead after a pair of free throws by Bebe Holloway with 5:08 remaining.

The lead was short-lived as Connors State’s Rischanda Bickham’s two free throws put the Cowgirls back on top just seven seconds later.

The Cowgirls’ lead would not exceed three points until Yankova missed a three-pointer with 40 seconds left and then fouled Bickham to stop the clock. Yankova fouled out on the play and Bickham made 1-of-2 free throws to make it a two-possession game.

After Dominique English made 1-of-2 free throws for the Tigers with 20.1 seconds remaining, the Cowgirls’ Ashleigh Franklin made a pair of free throws to seal the victory.

Cowley finished the game with 28 turnovers, 13 coming from point guard Dominique English.
“It doesn’t matter who you are playing, if you turn the ball over 28 times you are going to lose,” Cowley head coach Todd Clark said. “We have got to address the turnovers.”

Coming off a triple double in which she finished with 19 points, 11 steals and 10 rebounds in the Lady Tigers’ season-opening win on Monday, Bebe Holloway had another solid performance as she finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

Sophomore center Whitney Williams also played well as she finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Williams scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half.

“Whitney did not get enough touches down the stretch,” Clark said.

Kameisha Johnson led Connors State with a game-high 21 points, while Ashleigh Franklin chipped in 15 points. The Lady Cowgirls are now 3-0 on the season.

Cowley, which is now 1-1 on the season, will prepare to host rival Northern Oklahoma College Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

“I want to see us play with some poise and intensity and give ourselves an opportunity to be in the game,” Clark said.

Come out and show your support of the Tigers. The game is being billed as “Camo Night” as the fan with the most camouflage on will win a Cowley sweatshirt.

Box score:
Connors (66): Kameisha Johnson 8-13 4-4 21, Rischanda Bickham 3-9 3-6 9, Gabrielle Rosiji 1-8 4-8 6, Magen Roth 2-5 0-0 6, Ashleigh Franklin 5-9 4-4 15, Kristen Dixon 0-0 0-0 0, Chelsey Roth 2-4 2-2 7, Taylor Mumphrey 0-3 2-2 2. Totals: 21-51 19-26 66.

Cowley (61): Elena Yankova 3-13 1-2 7, Dominique English 3-10 1-2 7, Bebe Holloway 5-9 8-12 18, Gabbie Curtis 3-7 2-2 8, Whitney Williams 6-11 2-4 14, Kaneesha Lee 3-4 1-4 7, JaNeil Robinson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals: 23-57 15-26 61.

Three-pointers: Connors 5-14 (Johnson 1-2, Bickham 0-2, M. Roth 2-4, Franklin 1-3, C. Roth 1-3), Cowley 0-6 (Yankova 0-2, English 0-1, Holloway 0-1, Curtis 0-1, Robinson 0-1). Rebounds: Connors 23 (Mumphrey 6), Cowley 39 (Williams 11). Assists: Connors 13 (Rosiji 4), Cowley 13 (English 5). Turnovers: Connors 22, Cowley 28. Total fouls: Connors 20, Cowley 19. Fouled out: Yankova. Technicals: none.