Shelby Rayner's 3-pointer with :02.6 remaining lifted the NOC Lady Mavericks to an 80-79 season opening win over Cloud County (KS).
Affter trailing the entire first half, the Lady Mavs took their first lead of the game 65-64 on a Rayner layup with 1:15 left in the third quarter.
After the two teams traded leads in the fourth quarter, Cloud then took a 77-75 lead with :50 left in the game but Rayner tied the game at 77-77 with a long jumper. Cloud once again took a 79-77 lead and had an opportunity to put the game on ice but missed two free throws.
NOC took advantage as Rayner took the inbounds pass, dribbled up the court, and drilled the game winning 3-pointer. Cloud had one last opportunity but turned the ball over giving NOC the 80-79 win.
Rayner led the Lady Mavs with 23 points while Jordan Holman added 21. Tiffany Ikwumere also reached double figures with 10.
Travisha Cogdell led the Lady Mavs with seven rebounds while Rayner added four assists.
NOC trailed by as many as 10 in the first half before cutting the Cloud County lead to 47-42 at half.
The Lady Mavs travel to Cowley Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. tip with the Lady Tigers.
NOC trailed by as many as 10 in the first half before cutting the Cloud County lead to 47-42 at half.
"I thought our help defense and ball defense got better as the game progressed," said coach Greg Krause. "It was a good team effort against a good team and a big finish."
The Lady Mavs gave up 29 points in the first quarter but not more than 20 points in any other.
NOC shot 41% from the floor and 27% from 3-point range.
Lady Mavs 80, Cloud 79
1 2 3 4—Total
Cloud 29 18 19 13-- 79
Lady Mavs 19 23 23 15-- 80
Lady Mavs—S. Rayner 23, J. Holman 21, T. Ikwumere 10, T. Cogdell 9, L. Boyer 9, D. Reimer 8.
