A long bus ride the day after a tough loss to a nationally ranked team is a combination that can lead to a slow start, and that's exactly what happened Sunday for the Tompkins Cortland Community College women's basketball team. Hours after battling Onondaga Community College on Saturday, the Panthers took the four-hour bus ride to Columbia-Greene Community College, fell behind early and couldn't make it up, losing 86-75 to the Twins. The result leaves Tompkins Cortland at 8-7 overall and 7-6 in Region III 2-3 while Columbia-Greene improves to 14-2 overall and 11-2 in region.

Columbia-Greene entered the game as one of the top scoring teams in the nation, with an average margin of victory of more than 20 points per game. The Twins came out on fire, racing to a 24-10 lead at the end of the first quarter before the Panthers got settled. Both teams scored 20 in the second quarter to leave the difference at 14 points at the half. A 23-21 advantage in the third gave Columbia-Greene a 67-51 heading into the final quarter. In the fourth the Panthers cut into the lead by outscoring the Twins 24-19, but it was too late as the final horn sounded with an 11-point loss for the Panthers.

Four Panthers scored in double figures, led by a career-high 22 points from Reyanah Brown (Syracuse/Syracuse Academy of Science). The freshman also collected 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. MacKenzie Kenyon (Ovid/South Seneca H.S.) equaled her season-high with 20 points along with 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Jaida Washington (Elmira/Elmira H.S.) continued her strong play with her eighth double-double of the season, going for 18 points and 14 rebounds along with 5 steals and 2 blocks. Tatiana Minnick (Ithaca/Ithaca H.S.) also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, tying the school's single-game record for assists along the way.

The Panthers return to Mid-State Athletic Conference play Wednesday at Cayuga Community College.