Cowboys Fall at Home to NEO
After trailing the majority of the game, the Connors State Cowboys finally gained the lead midway through the second half only to see Northeastern Oklahoma A&M go on a 15-1 run in a five-minute span and hold on to defeat Connors 75-70 Thursday night at Melvin Self Field-House.
WARNER- After trailing the majority of the game, the Connors State Cowboys finally gained the lead midway through the second half only to see Northeastern Oklahoma A&M go on a 15-1 run in a five-minute span and hold on to defeat Connors 75-70 Thursday night at Melvin Self Field-House.
The NEO victory avenged a 10 point loss to the Cowboys last weekend in Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference play in Miami, Oklahoma.
Connors trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half before a 9-0 rally to end the half and trail by only two, 33-31. The Norse held Connors off until Jarquavious Cain, who had 14 of his team high 19 points in the second half, completed an old-fashioned three point play to give the Cowboys a 52-49 lead. Brandon Taylor then connected from beyond the arc to up the margin to six for the Cowboys. But fast-paced play by NEO and a handful of turnovers by Connors lead to the aforementioned Norse run which did the Cowboys in.
A frustrated head coach Bill Muse described the loss which was the third at home for Connors in conference play.
"They just wanted it worse," said Muse. "We're up by seven and let them go on a 15-1 run while we're making bad shot selections and about five turnovers in a row. And it kills you when you lose these games at home. You just can't do that."
Along with Cain, the Cowboys (11-4, 7-4) saw freshman Jordan Tillmon with 17 and Jahcoree Ealy with 16 get into double figures on the night. NEO (9-6, 5-5) had four players make double numbers led by Brian Moore Jr. with 21.