Lady Tigers never lead in 61-49 loss at Colby

Playing at Colby Community College on Saturday, the Cowley College women's basketball team fell behind 15-0 to start the game and never led in a 61-49 road defeat.

Cowley (8-3 overall, 3-3 Jayhawk Conference) averages 98 points per game in its eight victories and only 55.7 points per game in its three losses.

Colby, coached by former Cowley College women's basketball head coach Daren Spence, is now 8-4 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

"Give Colby credit, they played harder than us," Cowley head coach Todd Clark said. "They guarded us well and were more physical."

On Saturday, Cowley did not score for nearly six and a half minutes of game time and trailed 18-7 after one-quarter of play.

After closing within 24-21, Cowley was out-scored 14-2 over the final five minutes of the first half as they went into halftime trailing 38-23.

Cowley would cut the Trojans' lead to 42-37 following a basket by Elysa Martinez with 2:49 left in the third quarter. However, Colby would hold Cowley scoreless the remainder of the quarter and went into the final 10 minutes leading 47-37.

A three-pointer by Martinez would pull the Lady Tigers within 55-49 with 35 seconds remaining, but the Trojans made six free-throws down the stretch to seal the 12-point win.

"I thought we fought harder in the second half; we just could not get over the hump," Clark said.

Martinez led Cowley with 19 points, while Jaiden Smith added eight points and 11 rebounds. However, the rest of the team combined for only 19 points on 8-of-43 shooting.

Cowley continued to win the turnover battle, forcing Colby into 30 turnovers. But, the Trojans out-shot the Lady Tigers 44.4 percent to 25 percent from the floor.

Sophie Bennett led Colby with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Cowley will attempt to return to the victory column when they host Independence Community College (1-10) on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Pirates have struggled to a record of 0-6 in the Jayhawk Conference and have topped 60 points in a game only twice this season.

Box score:

Cowley (49): Jaiden Smith 3-11 0-0 8, Destiny Yates 2-9 0-0 5, Hattie Pyle 0-10 3-4 3, Elysa Martinez 6-14 5-6 19, Georgia Knight 1-6 0-0 2, Keturah Stewart 2-4 0-0 4, Rafa Bergonso 1-2 0-0 2, Alexcia Murphy 2-6 0-0 4, Jamie Molina 0-6 2-2 2. Totals: 17-68 10-12 49.

Colby (61): Sophie Bennett 4-6 6-8 14, Piri Lewis 1-3 2-6 4, Sofia Lopez 5-9 1-1 11, Ishante Suttington 1-7 2-2 4, Easha Potts 2-2 0-0 4, Jera Kruleski 4-10 3-3 13, Logan Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Dessirae Ulmer 2-2 4-5 8, Kylee Hahn 1-5 0-0 3. Totals: 20-45 18-25 61.

Three-pointers: Cowley 5-31 (Smith 2-8, Martinez 2-6, Yates 1-6, Molina 0-5, Knight 0-3, Stewart 0-1, Bergonso 0-1, Murphy 0-1). Rebounds: Cowley 33 (Smith 11), Colby 32 (Bennett 8). Assists: Cowley 6 (Pyle, Knight 2), Colby 5 (Bennett, Lewis 2). Turnovers: Cowley 18, Colby 30. Total fouls: Cowley 23, Colby 16. Fouled out: Lopez, Suttington. Technicals: Cowley team.