TONKAWA---Connors State Cowgirls used a 12-0 run in the third quarter and then held off a late Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa rally to post a 78-70 Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference victory Thursday night over the Lady Mavericks at Piper Field House.

The Cowgirls (16-2, 3-1) return home to play Northeastern A&M Monday at Melvin Self Field House. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m. The loss drops the Lady Mavericks to 0-4 In OCAC play and 3-12 on the year.

"We opened the game sluggish," said Coach Jamie Fisher. That was quite evident by the opening period of play as the Cowgirls trailed by six points 17-11. At the half Connors cut the deficit to two points, going into the locker room trailing 33-31.

  It was the third quarter of play that proved to be the difference in the contest. The Cowgirls drained four from behind the arc in the quarter and finished with 10 threes for the game.

Cheyanne Crain led the Cowgirls assault with 16 points, which included four 3-pointers. Lauren Wright also scored 16 in the win with De'Asia Reid adding 12 points inside the paint. Caylin Livers also scored 12 in the victory.

 "Our guards really shot well from the outside," said Fisher. "Northern did a good job in limiting our inside game."

The game was deadlocked at 42-42 with five minutes remaining in the third quarter when the Cowgirls offense exploded.

The Cowgirls broke the deadlock at the 4:01 mark to go up 44-42. Following a 3-point bucket by the Lady Mavericks to take a 45-44 lead, the Cowgirls outscored NOC-Tonkawa 12-0 to take a 57-45 lead.

Northern never recovered from the scoring burst by the Cowboys, coming no closer than four points, 67-63 with 3:29 remaining in the game.

CONNORS STATE 78, NOC-TONKAWA 70

Connors State 11 20  28  19--78

NOC-Tonkawa 17  16  16  21--70

Connors State ( 16-2, 3-1 )—Crain 16, La. Wright 16, Livers 12, Reid 12, La. Wright 8,  Taylor 5, Maxwell 4, Jones 3, Gonzalez 2.

NOC-Tonkawa (3-12, 0-3)—Zhiachka 16, Murry 12, Maples 11, Manning 10, Guyton 9, Moore 7, Coates 3, Sadler 2.