Tigers pull away from T-Birds, 76-48

Falling behind the Cloud County County Community College Thunderbirds in the third quarter seemed to inspire the Cowley College Tigers.
Shakira Smith knocked down a three-point shot with 6:22 to play in the third period to give Cloud County a 36-35 lead on Cowley.
The Tigers outscored the T-Birds 41-12 after that three by Smith to capture a 76-48 Jayhawk Conference win Monday night in Bryant Gymnasium.
“It was a combination of things, with the main thing being that offensively we were just completely inept. Missed layups, unforced turnovers and I think that really led to some significant breakdowns defensively,” Cloud County coach Brett Erkenbrack said. “Cowley is a good team. They tried hard and they made the shots. Anything we gave them from a defensive standpoint they capitalized on.”
Suffering a fourth consecutive loss to fall to 10-12 overall and 6-10 in conference play, Cloud County was held to a season low in points.
The T-Birds connected on just 18 of 62 field goal attempts for 29 percent and were 5 of 23 from three-point range.
Cowley improved to 13-8 overall and 9-7 in the conference with the win.
After falling behind 5-0 to start the game, the T-Birds got two free throws by Kennedy Becker and five straight points by Te Araroa Sopoaga to go up 7-5.
Cowley scored the next eight points, and led 13-7.
Cloud County would cut the deficit to three points, 17-14, heading into the second quarter.
The T-Birds would fall behind by as many as eight points in that second period.
Makayla Twyman scored off an offensive rebound in the final seconds of the first half to pull Cloud County within three points, 29-26.
Baskets by Smith and Sopoaga to open the second half gave the T-Birds a 30-29 lead.
Two free throws by Carson Dean and a layup by Martyna Kowalska gave the Tigers the lead back at 33-30.
Smith connected on a three-point shot to tie things up at 33-33.
Baylee Fincher scored to give Cowley a 35-33 advantage.
Fincher poured in a game-high 28 points and also had seven assists and five steals.
Another three by Smith put Cloud County on top one final time, 36-35.
Starting with a three by Fincher, the Tigers scored the next seven points, and led 42-36.
Sopoaga made one of two free throws, and Cloud County was down 42-37.
Cowley poured in 14 points in just over two minutes to take a commanding 56-37 lead.
Kardae Gales was fouled on a three-point attempt with less than a second remaining in the third quarter. She hit one of three free throw attempts, and the T-Birds trailed 56-38.
Cloud County got as close as 16 points early in the fourth quarter, but was unable to mount a charge.
Cowley would outscore the T-Birds 20-10 over the final 10 minutes.
“We have to regroup. That was a bad loss for us and just an overall bad performance,” Erkenbrack said. “Anytime that you don’t 50 in a game it is pretty hard to say we had anybody play particularly well.”
Smith and Sopoaga scored 10 points each to lead Cloud County.
Sopoaga also had seven rebounds.
Becker finished with eight rebounds to go with six points.
Fincher led four Cowley players in double figures.
Shamahra Henderson scored 15 points.
Kowalska finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots.
Milena Fromming added 10 points.
Cloud County will play a third game in five days at Pratt Community College on Wednesday night.