Cowgirls Fall Short to Tonkawa 61-59

The Cowgirls saw a 10-point halftime lead evaporate as Radina Zhivachka hit a three-point shot with seven seconds left in the game to lift the Lady Mavericks to the win and deal the Cowgirls a crippling loss with the playoffs looming.

    The third quarter proved costly for Connors (8-11, 4-10) as the Lady Mavericks outscored the Cowgirls 20-10 to tie the game at 44-all. Six turnovers and 2-of-10 shooting by Connors were instrumental in the Northern comeback.

    "I told the girls at halftime that we needed to have the same intensity in the second half that we started with in the first half but it just wasn't there," said Cowgirl coach Jamie Fisher. "We lost the game in the third quarter by not taking care of the basketball. We also got in foul trouble in the third quarter and had to sit two starters for a good part of the quarter."

   Connors maintained a small lead until the final five minutes when Northern (6-12, 6-8) went ahead 54-51. But Connors battled back and recaptured the lead 59-58 on a pair of Kionce' Woods free throws with a minute to play setting the stage for Zhivachka's last-second heroics.

   Muldrow product Chalynn Mayes, one of seven sophomores seeing their final home action for Connors, had 19 points to lead the Cowgirls scoring while Mounds sophomore Cheyanne Crain added 13.

   Connors will finish out the regular season on the road at Redlands on Monday and Murray State on Thursday with the Region 2 playoffs starting April 7 in Enid.