From RAMA PEROO/Cowley College
Playing for the first time in eight days, the No. 12-ranked Cowley College men’s basketball team bounced back from its lone conference defeat to take down the No. 19-ranked Butler Grizzlies 77-58 Sunday afternoon inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.
The Tigers never trailed in the game as they improved to 16-2 overall and remain tied with Barron Counfy for first place in the Jayhawk Conference with a conference mark of 11-1.
Sophomore Jeff Nwankwo led Cowley with 24 points, eight rebounds and six steals and all five Tiger starters scored in double figures. Fellow sophomore Corey Thomas added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
“That is a big win for our sophomores and a key win in conference play,” Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said.
Cowley led 38-21 at the end of the first half and by as many as 24 points (59-35) in the blowout win.
Butler was led by Jamichael Stillwell’s game-high 25 points as they are now 14-4 overall and 9-3 in the conference.
No other Grizzly scored more than seven points in the defeat.
Cowley remains unbeaten at home on the season.
“You must protect your home court,” Jackson said. “We had a great week of practice and I thought it carried over into the game.”
Cowley will play at Northwest Kansas Tech on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
The Mavericks are 7-11 overall and 3-9 in the conference.
“Northwest Tech has played extremely well the last couple of weeks,” Jackson said. “They have won three out of their last four games and they have been playing really well at home.
”I know Coach Jay Bradley will have them ready to compete.”
Lady Tigers hold off No. 14-ranked Butler in 71-69 home win.
The Cowley College women’s basketball II team built a 17-point second half advantage over No. 14-ranked Butler and held on with all their might to defeat the Lady Grizzlies 71-69 Sunday afternoon inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.
The win was the fourth in the past five games for the Lady Tigers as they improved to 11-7 overall and 5-7 in the Jayhawk Conference.
Cowley got 18 first half points from reserves Zuzanna Komor and Georgia Knight as they built a 39-29 halftime advantage.
Cowleys lead would grow to 48-31 before a 12-0 Butler run pulled the Grizzlies within 48-43.
Leading 51-47 entering the final quarter of play, Cowley would see Butler grab its first lead of the game at 59-58 on a basket by sophomore Freddie Wallace with 3:50remaining.
The lead would change hands seven times over the final four minutes, with the final lead change coming on a basket by Komor that put Cowley in front 71-69 with 26.5 seconds left.
Trying for the win, Butler’s Randi Harding missed a three-point attempt with 7.7 seconds left and Cowley held on for the two-point win.
All seven players that played for Cowley scored in the victory. Komor led all scorers with 19 points on of-9 shooting from the floor.
“We had a lot of people contribute to a good team win,” Cowley head coach Todd Clark said. “I am proud of our effort.”
Lady Tiger sophomore Anna Przyszlak added a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Dayuna Colbin led Butler with 18 points. The Grizzlies are now 15-3 overall and 9-3 in the conference.
Cowley will look to continue its resurgence when they play at Northwest Kansas Tech Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.The Mavericks are 1-15 overall and 0-12 in the conference.
“We need a good effort on the road,” Clark said.
