Cougars lose overtime contest to Butler

Cougars lose overtime contest to Butler

The Barton Community College men's basketball team lost a tough one at home Monday night as the Cougars were beaten by Butler in overtime at the Barton Gym. Butler earned the road win with an 81-77 win in Great Bend. Barton drops to 2-3 in the Jayhawk West with its first home loss of the conference season and 14-5 overall. Butler is now 2-2 in the West and 12-6 overall. Barton will be right back at it for the 3rd games in 5 days when the Cougars travel to Hutchinson Wednesday night to tangle with the Hutchinson – unbeaten until a loss to Butler Saturday night.

Highlights
The contest featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes with both teams having their opportunities to take control of the game. Barton had opportunities to pull out the win in the final minute of overtime but couldn't seem to come up with the big basket. Both team struggled to come up with the big basket much of the night at the two traded 3 straight turnovers in the final minute of regulation.

Butler led from the opening basket of overtime – by as many as four – before the Cougars took their 1st lead of the extra session on a steal and layup from Carl Wallace. Wallace stole the ball in the back court, gave to Storm Sanders who tossed it back to Wallace for a layup and a 77-75 lead that capped a 6-0 Barton run 2:18 to play. But on the ensuing trip down the floor Zac Bargen drilled his 6th 3-pointer of the contest and Butler regained the lead at 78-77. The score still stood at 78-77 in the final seconds with Barton in possession of the ball. But the Cougars couldn't get the ball inbounded with 16 seconds to play. The Cougars still had a look to win with 8 seconds to go when Sanders put up a 3-pointer and the Cougars down 79-77 but it failed to fall and Butler added a pair of free throws with 2 seconds left for the final margin.

Barton led most of the first half with Butler gaining control of the game early in the 2nd, jumping out to a 35-29 lead on the heels of a 9-2 run to start the half. Colin Beatty kept the Cougars in striking distance during the 2nd half. The sophomore kept the Cougars in the contest during a long stretch as Butler was threatening to get a comfortable lead. With the Grizzlies on the verge of just that, leading 64-57 with 7:22 left, Beatty took over. Beatty hit 4 straight free throws, scored on a miraculous tip in and added a fast break layup on a pass from Sanders. Betty added another basket on a jumper the Cougars next series, giving Barton a 67-66 lead following a 10-2 run – all 10 points from Beatty with 3:41 left. The teams traded the lead the final minutes with Beatty tying the game at 71-all with 1:42 left. Neither team would score after that, trading 3 turnovers the final minute.

Beatty led Barton with 24 – all in the 2nd half. Jalen Boyd added 13 and Dwayne Brunson 12. Sanders handed out 10 assists in the loss and Brunson blocked 6 shots. Adam Young had 4 steals. Bargen led the Grizzlies as the freshman scored a career-high 26 thanks in large part to a 6-of-8 effort from behind the 3-point line. As a team Butler was 8-of-11 in the 2nd half and overtime behind the arc.

The Cougars will travel to Hutchinson Wednesday to take on the Blue Dragons – a team ranked No 1 in the nation last week before the loss at Butler. Hutch is 17-1 overall this season and 3-1 in the West. Tip for the contest at the Sports Arena is set for 7:30 pm  

Stats
Stats can be found was www.bartonsports.com  

Next
Jan 19 – at Hutch 7:30 pm (Jayhawk West game at the Sports Arena in Hutchinson)