Tigers inch closer to conference title with 82-60 win over Coffeyville

The No. 8-ranked Cowley College men's basketball team moved within one win of its first conference title since 2021 with an 82-60 victory over No. 14-ranked Coffeyville on Saturday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

Cowley swept the season series with the Red Ravens, as they previously won at Coffeyville by a score of 64-63 back on December 14. The Tigers are now 23-3 overall and 18-2 in the Jayhawk Conference, while Coffeyville (17-7) falls to third place in the conference with a record of 13-5. Defending national champion Barton Community College has won four games in a row to move into second place with a record of 15-5.

On Saturday, the teams were tied at 20-20 before Cowley closed the half on a 15-7 run to lead 35-27.

Leading 51-46 midway through the second half, the Tigers capped a 10-1 run on a three-point play by sophomore Shamarrie Hugie to lead 61-47 with 7:13 remaining.

Sophomore Dallas Whitney hit a pair of three-pointers and scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half. Whitney recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Marcus Whitlock added 14 points and four boards.

Hugie posted his second straight 20-plus scoring contest with a game-high 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting.

"Our ball movement was key," Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said. "We play at our best when we are sharing the ball."

Cowley shot 52.8 percent from the floor while holding Coffeyville to 41.7 percent shooting and forcing 17 Red Raven turnovers.

"I thought the guys really stuck to our defensive game plan," Jackson said.

The Tigers will remain home to play Hutchinson (16-9) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers will attempt to avenge a 70-62 loss at Hutchinson on January 4. The Blue Dragons, which defeated Cowley 70-62 on January 4, are in fifth place in the conference with a record of 12-7.

"Hutch kicked our butt over at the Sports Arena," Jackson said. "We need to find a way to protect home court and get a split."

Box score:

Coffeyville (60): Brian Griffith 1-7 3-4 5, Trenton Ruth 3-8 4-5 11, Justin Taylor 3-8 4-5 12, Daniel Ntawmbwe 3-6 0-0 6, Abdul Kuta 3-3 3-6 9, Tyrell Smith 1-3 0-0 3, Relja Nagulic 1-2 0-0 2, Desmond Marshall 0-0 0-0 0, Jeremiah Kemboi 1-2 0-0 3, Konstantin Popovic 2-5 2-2 8, Charles Caporaso 0-2 1-2 1, Kaason Thomas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-48 13-19 60.

Cowley (82): Shamarrie Hugie 8-13 7-9 25, Emarquis Jones 2-3 1-2 5, Marcus Zeigler 2-6 0-0 4, Dallas Whitney 5-9 1-4 13, Marcus Whitlock Jr. 4-11 4-4 14, Avante Nichols 2-5 4-6 8, CJ Majors 2-2 0-0 4, Kyden Thompson 3-4 2-2 9. Totals: 28-53 19-27 82.

Three-pointers: Coffeyville 7-18 (Popovic 2-5, Taylor 2-3, Ruth 1-4, Smith 1-2, Kemboi 1-2, Griffith 0-2, Ntambwe 0-1), Cowley 7-18 (Whitlock 2-5, Hugie 2-4, Whitney 2-4, Thompson 1-1, Zeigler 0-2, Nichols 0-2). Rebounds: Coffeyville 23 (Caporaso 8), Cowley 33 (Whitney 10). Assists: Coffeyville 6 (Thomas 2), Cowley 17 (Three players with 4). Turnovers: Coffeyville 17, Cowley 8. Total fouls: Coffeyville 17, Cowley 15. Fouled out: none. Technicals: none.