Trojans Second-Half Push Falls Short Against Cowley

COLBY, Kan. — A slow start proved too much to overcome for the Colby Trojans men's basketball team on Saturday (Nov. 29) afternoon, as the Trojans fell 78–66 to Cowley County inside the Colby Event Center. The loss drops Colby to 2–8 (0–4 KJCCC).

Cowley set the tone early, coming out red-hot from the field and quickly building a double-digit advantage behind a dominant 50-point first half. The Tigers pace and shot-making put Colby on its heels, as Cowley connected on 44.9 percent of its attempts and buried nine three-pointers over the course of the night. Despite a late push capped by an Aliou Diallo buzzer-beater three to close the half, the Trojans trailed 50–35 at the break.

Colby responded with renewed energy in the second half, tightening up defensively and attacking the paint to chip away at the deficit. The Trojans trimmed the margin to single digits midway through the period, but every surge was met by timely Cowley baskets and disciplined defense, preventing Colby from fully closing the gap.

Diallo led the Trojans with 15 points, highlighted by the momentum-building three-pointer to end the first half. Nana Keutcha delivered one of his best performances of the season, posting 11 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the year. Braedyn Gillespie added nine points, while Kellan Simoneau finished with seven, including several aggressive transition finishes. Colby's bench continued to be a bright spot, contributing 37 points to keep the Trojans within striking distance.

Statistically, Colby held advantages in multiple areas, outrebounding Cowley 37–31 and outscoring the Tigers 36–22 in the paint. However, cold shooting from deep (5-of-21, 23.8%) and missed opportunities at the free-throw line (15-of-26, 57.7%) hindered the Trojans comeback efforts. Turnovers also proved costly, as Colby's 23 giveaways turned into key points for Cowley late.

Cowley was paced by Marcus Smith's 18 points, while Leslie Owens Jr. (13) and LJ Britt (11) added valuable scoring depth. The Tigers shot 80.6 percent from the charity stripe and knocked down 36 percent from three, maintaining offensive balance throughout. Colby did force 17 Cowley turnovers, but the Tigers' efficiency ultimately carried them to the road win.

Colby now looks ahead to their match up against Dodge CIty this Wednesday (Dec. 3) as they continue their search for their first conference victory.