Lady Tigers win nip and tuck game vs. Butler 57-56

With all of five of its starters playing all 40 minutes, the Cowley College women's basketball team pulled out an important 57-56 home win against Butler Community College Wednesday inside W.S. Scott Auditorium.

With neither tam leading by more than five points the entire game, Cowley trailed 50-46 with 7:15 left to play. However, back-to-back three-pointers by sophomore Milena Fromming keyed an 8-0 run that put Cowley back on top 54-50.

Clinging to a 57-56 lead in the final minute, both teams would turn the ball over twice on their final offensive possessions and the Lady Tigers would hold on for the one-point victory.

The win was an important one as Cowley (17-10) moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the Jayhawk Conference with a record of 13-9 with two conference games remaining. The top-four teams in the conference will receive a bye in the first-round of the playoffs.

"This was a good, hard fought team win," Cowley head coach Todd Clark said. "I am really proud of our players."

Fromming went 5-of-9 from three-point range and led all scorers with 17 points. Sophomore post player Martyna Kowalska added 14 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor.

Syncere Harrod led Butler with 11 points as the Lady Grizzlies fall to 15-10 overall and 10-10 in the conference.

The Lady Tigers will remain home to play Cloud County Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The T-Birds are 13-15 overall and 9-13 in the Jayhawk Conference.

Box score:

Butler (56): Jada Knight 0-3 0-0 0, Jaila Harding 2-5 0-0 5, Kamiyah Lyons 1-3 0-0 3, Kaylee Nero 4-7 0-0 8, Syncere Harrod 4-7 3-4 11, Mackenzie Carter 2-7 0-0 6, Cymirah Williams 4-8 0-0 8, Cameron Downs 1-4 0-0 2, Mallory Cowman 2-5 2-2 6, Ashton Conley 0-3 2-2 2, Emily Mandamin 2-3 0-0 5.

Cowley (57): Milena Fromming 6-10 0-0 17, Baylee Fincher 2-14 3-4 8, Carson Dean 3-11 2-2 10, Shamahra Henderson 2-8 3-4 8, Martyna Kowalska 6-8 2-4 14. Totals: 19-51 10-14 57.

Three-pointers: Butler 5-13 (Carter 2-5, Lyons 1-2, Mandamin 1-2, Harding 1-1, Knight 0-1, Harrod 0-1, Downs 0-1), Cowley 9-30 (Fromming 5-9, Dean 2-10, Fincher 1-7, Henderson 1-4). Rebounds: Butler 33 (Cowman 8), Cowley 24 (Kowalska 7). Assists: Butler 14 (Williams, Downs 30, Cowley 17 (Fincher 7). Turnovers: Butler 16, Cowley 15. Total fouls: Butler 15, Cowley 13. Fouled out: none. Technicals: none.