TONKAWA, Okla. - Opening the 2021-22 season on the road, the Cloud County Community College women's basketball team would see a fast start fade throughout the final 30 minutes of play as a go-ahead game-winning three by host Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa would be the difference in an 80-79 loss in Tonkawa, Oklahoma on Monday, November 1st. 

Monday's loss marks the first time since the opening game of the 2015-16 campaign that Cloud County has started a season 0-1 with the Mavericks improving to 1-0 and picking up their sixth-win all-time in 15 tries against CCCC. The T-Birds had won seven straight against NOC-Tonkawa dating back to November 12th, 1994 as the last win by the Mavericks over the T-Birds came on November 13th, 1993 in Tonkawa. 

CCCC's fast start saw the T-Birds turn an 8-8 tie midway through the first quarter into a 25-15 lead to force a Maverick timeout with 2:16 remaining in the opening period. Cloud County would manage to hold on to their double-digit lead throughout the rest of the opening 10 minutes of play by matching NOC with four points apiece to make things a 29-19 lead after the first quarter. 

In the second quarter, Cloud County would manage to take their largest lead of the game at 38-27 with just over five minutes remaining before halftime before seeing NOC start to find some offensive range with three triples in four offensive possessions to close the gap. Northern Oklahoma would manage to outscore Cloud County 15-9 during the stretch to close out the first half as the once 11-point lead for CCCC would be cut down to five at 47-42 heading into halftime. 

Opening the third quarter with seven quick points in the opening 90 seconds, the T-Birds would manage to extend their lead back out to double-digits at 54-44, but the Mavericks would not go away as five straight from NOC would start a 9-3 run to get back within four at 57-53 with just over six minutes left in the quarter. Cloud County would once again look to extend their lead by pushing things back out to a nine-point margin less than two minutes later but NOC would close out the quarter by holding CCCC to just four points over the final three-plus minutes of the third to make it a 66-65 contest heading into the fourth. 

Neither team would be able to take control in the early moments of the final quarter as a nearly four-minute scoring drought for both teams would be endured before seeing the two teams trade buckets to keep it at a one-point T-Bird lead. After seeing just a total of four points scored in the opening five minutes of the quarter, the back end of the quarter would combine to see the two squads score a total of 24 points with the largest lead for either team during that span coming at 75-71 in favor of the Mavericks with 2:24 remaining. A pair of CCCC triples including a second one from Paula Puzule with just over a minute remaining would allow the T-Birds to retake the lead at 77-75, but NOC would have a response on their next offensive possession to tie things at 77 all. The T-Birds would then get a driving layup from Makayla Twyman to reclaim the lead with 37.9 seconds remaining and force a jump ball turnover to regain possession with 26.7 seconds left as a chance to ice the game away at the free-throw line would be up for Cloud County. 

NOC would be forced to foul three times to send the T-Birds to the free-throw line as the fouls would chew up 15 seconds of clock to put things at just under 12 seconds when CCCC would be sent to the line. After missing both free throws, Cloud County would get the offensive rebound but see a jump ball give the ball back to the Mavericks where Shelby Rayner would hit a pull-up three from just off the top of the key with 2.6 seconds remaining to put Northern Oklahoma up 80-79. The T-Birds would use a timeout to advance the ball into the frontcourt and draw up a potential game-winning play as the ball would be inbounded to freshman Te Araroa Sopoaga down by the basket where a potential game-winning shot would be blocked and allow time to expire with NOC coming out on top. 

As a team, Cloud County would shoot 48.5 percent (33-of-68) from the field, but struggle from the free-throw line as the T-Birds would connect on just seven of 16 (43.8 percent) attempts. CCCC would hold a 43-34 advantage in rebounds, but be guilty of 27 turnovers that would ultimately be the undoing of the T-Birds. 

Sopoaga would lead Cloud County with 20 points and 11 rebounds in her collegiate debut for a double-double while Kennedy Becker would provide 14 points and 12 rebounds in 31 minutes of action. Joining the duo in double figures would be Twyman (15) and Puzule (11) as the four players would combine for 60 of CCCC's 79 total points. 

What's Next?
Cloud County will look to turn things around at home with their 2021-22 home opener this Friday, November 5th when Highland Community College comes to Arley Bryant Gymnasium for a 6 PM contest. The Scotties opened up their 2021-22 season on Monday night with an 81-68 home win over the University of St. Mary JV team which included a game-high 25 points from guard Joze Baker. Friday's contest will mark the first time since January 9th, 2010 that CCCC and HCC have squared off with Cloud County having won the previous 12 matchups with the Scotties.