Northwest Kansas Tech shocks Lady Tigers 79-75

Facing a Northwest Kansas Tech team that had lost 13 games in a row, the Cowley College women's basketball team was hoping for a fifth win in its past six games. However, the Lady Mavericks had other plans as they built a 19-point fourth-quarter lead and held on to win its first conference game of the season with a 79-75 victory Wednesday night in Goodland, KS.

Cowley (11-8) remains in a tie for eighth place in the Jayhawk Conference with a record of 5-8. Northwest Kansas Tech improves to 2-15 overall and 1-12 in the conference.

On Wednesday, Cowley led 17-14 midway through the first quarter before the Lady Mavericks closed the quarter on a 17-2 run to lead 31-19.

The Lady Tigers would pull within 31-24 on a three-pointer by Anna Przyszlak, but once again, NW Tech had an answer and went into the half leading 50-37 following a layup by Serena Lee in the closing seconds.

Trailing 57-44 with 4:09 left in the third quarter, Cowley head coach Todd Clark was whistled for back-to-back technical fouls and was ejected from the contest.

NW Tech took a 69-53 lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 19 points (72-53) following a three-pointer by Alexzandria Thompson.

Cowley used a furious rally to pull within 78-75 following a basket by Przyszlak with 23 seconds left. The Mavericks' Tyjhanae Penny would make 1-of-2 free-throws on the ensuing possession to make it a two-possession game, and NW Tech held on for the four-point win.

Cowley shot just 32 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 16 times in the defeat. Ndack Mbengue led the Lady Tigers with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Jaiden Smith went 6-of-19 from three-point range and added 19 points. Przyszlak also had a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards but shot just 4-of-15 from the floor.

Lee led four NW Tech players in double figures with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Thompson added 20 points as she and Lee combined to hit 10 of the Mavericks' 16 three-pointers.

Cowley will look to bounce back when they host Seward County Saturday at 2 p.m. The Lady Saints, winners of four games in a row, are 11-8 overall and 7-6 in the conference.

Box score:

Cowley (75): Destiny Yates 1-5 2-2 5, Ndack Mbengue 7-15 6-7 20, Anna Przsyzlak 4-15 3-6 12, Hattie Pyle 2-8 2-4 6, Jaiden Smith 6-20 1-2 19, Zuzanna Komor 5-14 0-0 13, Georgia Knight 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 25-77 14-21 75.

NW Tech (79): Serena Lee 9-21 1-2 24, Torrai Logan 3-5 2-2 11, Traysha Newsome 0-0 -0-0 0, Tyjhanae Penny 2-8 6-8 12, Dionjane Jackson 0-4 1-2 1, Jalynn Alexander 1-4 4-6 6, Alexzandria Thompson 7-17 1-3 20, Cerena Watson 2-4 0-0 5. Totals: 24-63 15-23 79.

Three-pointers: Cowley 11-36 (Smith 6-19, Komor 3-8, Yates 1-4, Przyszlak 1-4, Pyle 0-1), NW Tech 16-35 (Lee 5-13, Thompson 5-10, Logan 3-5, Penny 2-3, Watson 1-2, Jackson 0-2). Rebounds: Cowley 46 (Mbengue 15), NW Tech 33 (Lee 10). Assists: Cowley 14 (Yates 4), NW Tech 14 (Thompson 6). Turnovers: Cowley 16, NW Tech 17. Total fouls: Cowley 12, NW Tech 15. Fouled out: none. Technicals: Clark (2).