Arkansas Baptist Stuns No. 25 Connors State 80-74 on Home Floor

WARNER ---Connors State head Coach Bill Muse called the Cowboys 80-74 loss to Arkansas Baptist Tuesday night at Melvin Self Field House "The worst performance we've had here at home in a long, long time."

The 25^th-ranked Cowboys(12-2) trailed the Buffaloes (4-8) by 20 points at the 8:59 mark of the second half 61-41, when they began a comeback.

But that comeback came within only six points of the visitors, twice in the final four minutes, the last with 27 seconds remaining 74-68.

Arkansas Baptist held off Connors' rally by draining six free throws in the remaining time and finished 23-of-32 at the free throw line.

Burke Putnam led the Cowboys' scoring with 24 points followed by Isaiah Jones' 21. Callen Haydon added another 11 points.

Caleb Pamicon led the Buffaloes in scoring with 23 followed Tyler Cubit with 16 and Jalen Kincaid's 15.

"We just didn't get the effort needed to win this game," said Muse. "It was just about as bad a game as I've seen."

Cowboys managed only 28 points in the first half, their lowest output in a 20-minute span this season, trailing 33-28 at the half.

However it could have been worse as Connors trailed by nine points 28-19 with 6:05 left in the opening half. It was Arkansas Baptist's largest lead.

The first half was tied seven times before the Buffaloes took the lead for good n the first 20 minutes of the half.

 ARKANSAS BAPTIST  80, CONNORS STATE 74

Arkansas Baptist   33    47--80

Connors State        28 36--74

Arkansas Baptist (4-8)—Pamicon 23, Cubit 16, Kincaid 15, Harris 8, Price 7, Farris 6, Lively 5. 

Connors State (12-2, 2-0)—Putnam 24, I. Jones 21, Haydon 11, Landrum 9, T. Jones 3, Graham 2, Lowe 2, Tanksley 2.