Cowboys Pound Eastern State 108-56 in Region II Quarterfinals

SHWANEE –Connors Cowboys singed the Oklahoma Baptist University nets for an amazing 65 percent from the field en route to a 108-86 NJCAA Region II quarterfinal victory over Eastern Oklahoma State Thursday.

The 13^th ranked Cowboys (27-3) placed five players in double-figure scoring while draining 47-of-72 field goal attempts, including 6-of-18 from behind the arc. Connors out rebounded the Mountaineers 45-25 limiting Eastern just 17 second chance points. Eastern closes the year 15-13.

"Our offense was very good, but our defense was really bad the first half," said Cowboys head coach Bill Muse. "We gave up way too many threes (15). That really hurt us and it kept them in the game."

Muse and his Cowboys, who are the defending Region II champions, knows his club can be upset, which has already occurred in four regions across the country.

"It's always hard to win the first one and you just don't want to lose to a lower seed," said Muse. "Losing in a 4-5 match up is not that big of deal because you are close. But losing to a lower seed that can really hurt in the eyes of the basketball tournament committee.

"That first one is always tough because you are fighting for an at-large bid (to national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.).

"The committee talks about strength of schedule and other things right now. That's not to our favor. We can only play who we can play.

"I think our body of work in the conference (OCAC champion 14-2) should prove it," said Muse. Cowboys will receive an automatic bid to the nationals by winning the Region II title, a loss would then depend on an at-large bid (eight are given).  

Connors advances to Friday's semifinals against either Seminole State or Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa (late game) at 6 p.m. at OBU.

Mason Jones and Bishop Coutler each scored a double-double draining 25 points each, with Jones pulling down 12 rebounds and Coulter 10.

Ra'Shawn Langston, the Region II Player of  the Year, followed in the scoring with 21 points, Darius Roy 15 and Terrance Jones adding 12 more.

Connors held a comfortable 63-51 advantage at the half despite some "sloppy defensive play," according Muse. Connors shot 67 percent the first 20 minutes draining 28-of-42 from the field.

However, the Cowboys turned upped the defensive pressure to open the final 20 minutes of play, holding Eastern to just 12 points the first 12 minutes of the second half.

Connors then went on a 12-2 run for its largest lead of the contest, 27 points, 95-68 with 6:52 remaining.  

The closest the Mountaineers came in the final have was seven points 70-63 at the 15:00 mark.

It was all Connors the rest of the way and into the semifinals for a third consecutive season.

It was the ninth time this season that the Cowboys surpassed the century mark in scoring and was a season sweep against the Mountaineers (3-0).

Jones scored at the 4:13 mark to hit the century mark and Roy put them over the top with 3:15 remaining.

Tevin Brewer led the Mountaineers scoring with 25 points, with Todd Dawkins adding 17, followed by Elisha Hobbs' 11 and Tevin Mosley's 10.

sCONNORS STATE 108, EASTERN STATE 86

Eastern State 51 35—86

Connors State 63 45—108

Eastern State (15-13)—Brewer 25, Dawkins 17, Hobbs 11, Mosley 10, Sockey 9, Childs 8, Watts3, Whitaker 3.

Connors State (27-3)—M. Jones 25, Coulter 25, Langston 21, Putnam 15, Jones 12, Bobb 6, Price 4.