Tigers tighten conference race with 86-77 win over No. 4-ranked Coffeyville

The No. 18-ranked Cowley College men's basketball team handed the No. 4-ranked Coffeyville Red Ravens just its second defeat of the season with a 86-77 win Saturday night inside W.S. Scott Auditorium. With the win, the Tigers now trail Coffeyville by just a half game in the conference standings with three games remaining.

"That was a good, old school, Jayhawk Conference basketball game," Cowley head coach Tommy DeSalme said. "I am proud of our guys to get the win."

Cowley, winners of six games in a row, improves its record to 15-4 overall and 15-2 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. The Red Ravens drop to 17-2 overall and 16-2 in the Jayhawk East.

Tiger sophomore Shemarri Allen came off the bench to score a season-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Allen also added six rebounds and five assists.

"Shemarri is getting closer to 100 percent healthy, which makes us a way different team," DeSalme said. "Along with his offense, he helps cover up things for us defensively."

Trailing Coffeyville 23-19, Cowley sophomore Cevin Clark hit back-to-back three-pointers and scored eight quick points during a 10-2 Tiger run to give Cowley a 29-25 lead.

Clark scored 10 of his 17 points in the opening half to help Cowley to a 42-36 halftime advantage.

"Cevin made some game-changing plays throughout the night," DeSalme said.

The Tigers' lead would grow to 53-41 following a dunk by Allen before Coffeyville used a 15-4 run to close within one-point of the lead.

The Red Ravens would go in front 64-63 following a basket by Tylor Perry with 8:40 left to play, but Cowley quickly answered back as its lead grew to seven (77-70) following a three-pointer by Mike'l Henderson with 4:30 remaining.

Coffeyville would not get any closer the rest of the way as Cowley went on to the nine-point win.

Tiger sophomore Jacquez Yow was one of five Cowley players in double figures as he came off the bench to finish with 13 points and five rebounds. 

"Jacquez seems to step up in big moments and plays with no fear," DeSalme said.

Perry led Coffeyville with 24 points, but no other Red Raven player scored more than 10 points in the loss. The Red Ravens turned the ball over 20 times in defeat and were out-scored 20-12 in points off turnovers.

Cowley will return to the court Monday night when they play a critical road game at Butler Community College at 7:30 p.m. The Grizzlies, winners of five games in a row, are 16-4 overall and 14-4 in the Jayhawk East.

"When you put yourself in position to win a conference championship the next game on your schedule is just as important," DeSalme said. "We hope to go on the road and pick up a big-time road win."

Box score:

Coffeyville (77): Bostyn Holt 5-9 0-1 10, Tylor Perry 7-9 6-8 24, Love Bettis 1-11 1-2 3, Markeith Browning 4-10 2-3 10, Blaise Keita 3-7 1-2 7, Larry White 3-4 0-0 6, Kevaughn Ellis 1-2 0-0 2, Jalen Smith 2-6 2-4 7, Noah Butler 0-2 0-4 0, Alhousseny Diallo 0-0 2-2 2, Hayden Brittingham 3-4 0-0 6. Totals: 29-64 14-26 77.

Cowley (86): Mike'l Henderson 1-8 0-2 3, Clarence King 0-2 2-4, Moun'tae Edmundson 4-15 0-0 10, Cevin Clark 7-14 0-0 17, Dalen Ridgnal 4-7 2-2 11, Shemarri Allen 8-11 7-12 24, Jacquez Yow 5-8 3-7 13, Raishaun Brown 1-5 2-2 4, Tarese Morse 0-2 2-2 2, Josiah Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Kobe Campbell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 30-72 18-31 86.

Three-pointers: Coffeyville 5-16 (Perry 4-6, Smith 1-5, Bettis 0-2, Browning 0-1, Butler 0-1, Keita 0-1), Cowley 8-33 (Clark 3-9, Edmundson 2-11, Henderson 1-6, Ridgnal 1-3, Allen 1-2, Yow 0-2). Rebounds: Coffeyville 39 (Holt, Keita 8), Cowley 47 (Ridgnal 8). Assists: Coffeyville 6 (White, Perry 2), Cowley 16 (Henderson, Edmundson, Allen 5). Turnovers: Coffeyville 20, Cowley 14. Total fouls: Coffeyville 27, Cowley 24. Fouled out: Bettis, Yow. Technicals: White, Ridgnal, Yow.