CHANUTE – Putting together one of their most complete efforts of the season, the Cloud County Community College women's basketball team would trail for all of 29 seconds before racing out to a 46-28 halftime lead and never looking back in an 89-64 road win over Neosho Community College inside Panther Gymnasium in Chanute on Saturday.
The victory allowed Cloud County to get back to .500 overall with a 6-6 mark while improving to 5-6 overall in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference while the Panthers slipped to 3-8 overall and 2-7 in the KJCCC.
A back-and-forth opening two minutes of the game would see four lead changes as Cloud County would score six of the first 11 points in what would be a high-scoring opening 10 minutes of action. Tied at 8-8, Cloud County would get back-to-back buckets from Le'Yanna McGinnis and Sydni Keys to go up 12-8 before another McGinnis field goal capped off a 6-0 spurt with 5:58 left in the first quarter. The T-Bird offense would continue to click throughout the rest of the period as CCCC would lead by as many as 14 at 24-10 with 4:01 left in the first before seeing Neosho close out the quarter on an 11-4 run to get back within seven at 28-21 heading to the second period.
Cloud County would waste no time getting back up double digits to start the second as McGinnis would score three of the first five points of the quarter put the T-Birds up 12 before seeing Kennedy Becker match the largest lead up to that point on a made jumper with 7:03 remaining (37-23 Cloud County lead). The Panthers would respond by scoring five of the next seven points, but CCCC would continue their strong offensive performance by scoring the final seven points of the half to carry a 46-28 break into intermission.
Things would continue to be all-T-Birds into the second half as Cloud County would dominate things on the offensive side of the ball to open up their largest lead of the game at 70-38 on a pair of free throws by Keys with 3:49 left in the quarter. Neosho would then close out the period by outscoring CCCC 8-6 in the final minutes as Cloud County would head to the fourth quarter holding a commanding 76-47 lead.
In the fourth, Cloud County would be able to utilize their lead built up over the first 30 minutes of action to put things on cruise control four of the first six points of the quarter to go back up by 31 at 80-49. The T-Bird lead would never dip below 22 the rest of the way as CCCC would score six of the final eight points over the final 3:39 of play to net their largest margin of victory on the year.
Setting season-bests in points and made field goals, Cloud County would officially finish the game 36-of-75 (48.0 percent) from the floor while also hitting four-of-12 attempts from beyond the arc. CCCC would hold a massive 52-20 advantage in points in the paint and also have a 19-12 advantage in points off turnovers after forcing Neosho into 22 turnovers.
Both McGinnis (29 points) and Becker (22 points) would set career-highs on the afternoon as McGinnis would break the 20-point mark for the fifth-time this season while Becker reached double-figures for the first time this year. Sydni Keys (11 points) and Rori Cox (10 points) would also join the duo in double-figures as four of CCCC's five starters scored in double-digits. Neosho would be led by a team-best 14 points in 23 minutes from Sarah Hunt.
What's next?
Cloud County will take on a last-place Allen Community College in KJCCC action at 6 p.m. on Wednesday inside of Arley Bryant Gymnasium. The Red Devils are 1-14 overall and 1-12 in conference play following a 93-65 home loss to Butler on Saturday. ACC's lone win this season came back on Feb. 10 as the Red Devils defeated Dodge City 55-50.
--cloudtbirds.com--