Cowboys Charge to Win in Second Half Rally against NOC- Tonkawa

Cowboys Charge to Win in Second Half Rally against NOC- Tonkawa

Game Leaders

Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa
Pts: 2 Players (#3, #11) - 10
Reb: Fede Federiko - 8
Ast: Elijah Pickens - 3
Connors State College
Pts: Jahcoree Ealy - 21
Reb: D.J. Basey - 8
Ast: Jordan Tillmon - 5

Team Stats

Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa
Connors State College

Field Goals

(23-50)
(26-58)

Field Goal %

46.0%
44.8%

Rebounds

37
35

Assists

8
13

Turnovers

19
14
full stats
Posted: Jan 13, 2022

Warner- Jahcoree Ealy, Jordan Tillmon and Bixby freshman Xavier Glenn led a second half assault for the Connors State Cowboys as they came from 10 points down to defeat Northern Oklahoma College- Tonkawa 68-64 in a thrilling Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference win Thursday night at Melvin Self Fieldhouse.

The Cowboy offense could never get on track in the first half as the more physical Mavericks controlled the boards and gradually took a 42-32 lead at intermission.

But Connors busted out of the gate in the second half to outscore Northern 13-2 in the first five minutes to grab a 45-44 lead. From there, the Cowboys maintained a tenuous lead, the largest a five-point spread with seven minutes to play.
 
Free throw shooting played a big part in the game, particularly the second half. After going 5-for-8 from the line in the first half, the Cowboys hit 10-of-14 in the second half while the Mavericks connected on just 2-of-8 after going 12-of-15 in the first half.

"It's about time we played like we're capable of playing," said Cowboy head coach Bill Muse. "These guys all have ability, we just haven't put it together yet, so maybe now we can get a little momentum going. If we can play defense like that where we just give up 22 points in a half, we'll be successful."

Ealy had two tremendous blocks down the stretch for Connors to stop Northern drives as the Cowboys clung to a 65-64 lead with 1:26 left. Glenn hit a free throw to up the lead to two and after a Northern turnover Ealy, who had a game high 21 points, sank a pair of charities to ice the game with three seconds left.

Besides Ealy, Glenn had 14 points and Tillmon 12 to pace the Cowboys (16-3, 2-3 OCAC) while Northern (13-5, 4-2) was led by Maryland Committ Cashius McNeilly who came off the bench to score 10 points.