Saints Surge to Victory Over Cowley

LIBERAL, Kan. – A complete second-half effort helped the Seward men's basketball team to a 79-66 win over the Cowley Tigers at The Greenhouse on Saturday afternoon.

Seward (18-11, 13-10 KJCCC) moves to 11-2 in home games this season with the win and completes the season sweep of Cowley (18-11, 13-10) after winning in Arkansas City on Jan. 14th. Seward sits alone in fifth place in the conference standings, holding the tiebreaker over the Tigers. The Saints host Dodge City in the final regular-season game on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

It was a tale of two halves for the Saints who trailed 37-33 at halftime before outscoring the Tigers 46-29 in the second half to earn the 13-point win.

Seward led for just five minutes and change of action total. A pair of Brooks Powers free throws at the 4:00 mark of the second half gave Seward its first lead of the half. Brevyn Colmen put in an elbow jumper with 2:41 to go to give Seward a 67-65 lead and the Saints never looked back. RJ McKinnie netted seven points down the final stretch and the Saints cashed in on their free throws to earn the win. The 13-point margin at the final was the Saints largest lead.

Cowley's Leslie Owens Jr. hit a jumper three minutes into the game to put Cowley ahead 7-6 and the Tigers did not trail again in the half leading by as much as 11.

Seward held Cowley to 34.6% shooting (18-52) for the game while the Saints shot 54.5% (24-44). The Saints outscored Cowley 34-20 in the paint.

McKinnie led Seward with 18 points to go with six rebounds and four assists. Lyna Brooks Jr. had 16 points off the bench, 15 of them I the first half as he helped keep the Saints in the ballgame. Lucas N'Gombo had 13 points shooting 7-12 from the free throw line.

Cowley was led by Marcus Smith's 13 points.