Cowley outlasts Garden City

Arkansas City, KS-For a second straight game, shooting woes proved costly. 

Jeff Nwankwo nailed 5-of-9 3s and finished with 26 points, Arzhonte Dallas added 17 points and four assists, and 11^th-ranked Cowley beat Garden City, 78-69 Saturday afternoon at W.S. Scott Auditorium.   

The Broncbusters shot just 38 percent from the floor marking the third time in their last four games that they were under 40. They finished 10-of-34 (29 percent) from 3 and missed eight free throws.  

Braxton Jones scored 22 points in 36 minutes for Garden City but was just 6-of-16 from the floor. Thomas Tut added 13 points and 10 boards, and Brody Robinson had 13 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.  

The Tigers, which won their eighth straight game to improve to 10-1 overall and 5-0 in league play, started fast. Nwankwo and Dallas hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first four minutes, Avante Nichols connected from deep, and Dallas and Nwankwo knocked down back-to-back long triples, capping off a 13-0 run that put Cowley up, 21-10 with 11:18 left in the half. 

Cowley pushed the lead to as many 14 in the first half following another 3-point hit from Dallas that made it 32-18 with less than seven minutes to go. They stretched it to 18 after Dallas's transition layup off a Garden City turnover gave the home team a 50-32 advantage with 17:46 to play in the game.  

Garden City (6-4, 3-2) stayed within striking distance in the second half, pulling to within one, 62-61 following Tut's layup that capped off a furious 29-11 surge. But Nwankwo quickly restored order with a 3-pointer and a midrange jumper, Leslie Owens beat Jordan Frazier for an and-1 layup, and Cowley was back up by six. They eventually pushed the lead to double digits after Damare Smith sank two free throws with less than five minutes to go. 

The Broncbusters, which dropped their second straight game, outrebounded Cowley, 35-32. But they were outscored 28-22 in the paint.