December 9, 2009

Tigers head into break with big win over Seminole

Playing perhaps its most complete game of the season, the Cowley College men’s basketball team defeated Seminole State College 76-57 Tuesday night at W.S. Scott Auditorium.

In what was the Tigers final game of the first semester, Cowley shot 50 percent from the floor and never trailed after the eight minute mark of the first half.

After losing three games in a row, Cowley heads into the break with back-to-back wins. The Tigers won Tuesday without Dominick Cornelius (9.5 points), who was out with an illness, while Lance Russell (10.3), who was also under the weather, played only a couple of minutes and was held scoreless.

“This was definitely the best game we have played,” Cowley head coach Tommy DeSalme said. “It’s good to win a game without two of our better players.”

Trailing 14-12, Cowley got a three-pointer from freshman Tyrus McGee to regain the lead. McGee then made a steal on the next possession and raced down court to throw down a dunk.

The Tigers never looked back as their lead grew to 34-23 at the end of the first half.

Leading 53-37 after a basket by point guard Canon Fields with 10:25 remaining, Cowley saw Seminole go on a 14-3 run to get within five points of the lead (56-51). However, the Tigers responded by going on an 18-2 run of its own as they put the game away.

Fields scored 13 of his game-high 23 points over the game’s final 10:25 of play, while McGee added 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Over the past two games, Fields has scored 38 points and dished out 16 assists, while running the Tiger offense.

“Canon has had a big week,” DeSalme said.

Sophomore Caprest Rhone also played well and finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Kelton Marshall, who finished with six points, hit probably the biggest shot of the game. With Cowley having seen its lead cut to 56-51, Marshall hit a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to start the Tigers on its 18-2 run.

Cowley is now 8-5 overall. The loss drops Seminole to 8-4 on the season. Donte Foster’s 15 points in the defeat led the Trojans.

Cowley will not play again until Monday, Jan. 4 when they host Carl Albert at 7 p.m. After going 3-1 in the conference and playing 12 games over the first month of the season, DeSalme believes the break is coming at a good time.

“We need a break,” DeSalme said. “This win will give us some confidence heading into the break.”

Box score:

Seminole (57): Jarrod McDaniel 0-3 0-1 0, Donte Foster 7-13 1-2 15, Jacobi Isham 5-7 1-2 11, Stuart Sullivan 3-10 0-0 8, Joseph Ikhinwin 0-6 1-2 1, Erv Ezell 1-2 0-0 2, Joe Uke 1-2 0-0 2, Elijah Gore 4-9 0-0 8, Brett Smith 1-1 0-0 2, Onaye Sims 3-4 0-0 6, Robert Grabauskas 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 26-58 3-7 57.
Cowley (76): Canon Fields 8-12 4-4 23, Caprest Rhone 4-7 5-7 13, Joseph Wakefield 2-5 0-1 4, Tyrus McGee 6-9 3-3 16, Kelton Marshall 2-3 1-2 6, Kalub Long 0-1 0-1 0, AJ Barber 0-4 0-0 0, Brent Schuck 2-2 0-0 4, Lance Russell 0-2 0-0 0, Julio Rosario 1-4 0-0 2, Michael Copeland 1-3 0-2 2, Jordan Lankster 3-6 0-1 6. Totals: 29-58 13-21 76.

Three-pointers: Seminole 2-11 (McDaniel 0-2, Foster 0-1, Sullivan 2-7, Gore 0-1), Cowley 5-14 (Fields 3-5, Rhone 0-2, Wakefield 0-2, McGee 1-1, Marshall 1-1, Barber 0-1, Russell 0-1, Rosario 0-1). Rebounds: Seminole 29 (Sims 8), Cowley 31 (Rhone 9). Assists: Seminole 14 (McDaniel 6), Cowley 19 (Fields, Rhone 6). Turnovers: Seminole 27, Cowley 25. Total fouls: Seminole 24, Cowley 17. Fouled out: none. Technicals: none.