The Barton Community College men's basketball team fell for the first time of the season as Murray State College rallied then held on for an 80-77 win Saturday afternoon at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in the final day of the Atrium Classic.
The loss drops the Cougars to 3-1 on the early season while the Aggies improve to 3-2 overall. Barton will look to rebound from the loss with a short turnaround coming Monday evening in a 7:30 p.m. tip against the reserve squad of Tabor College at the Barton Gym.
It was a tight battle throughout as the game never saw a double-digit lead. Barton claimed its largest lead just over four minutes in the contest at 13-2. The lead dwindled away before a 7-0 spurt by Murray State gained their first lead at 21-19 with 7:51 to play. Barton assumed some momentum headed to the halftime break closing the half on a 6-0 run to enjoy an eight point 42-34 edge to intermission.
Neither team could find separation in the second half, as Barton stretched its lead to nine with 14:12 to play following Mavrick Gildyard's jumper but the Cougars were unable to put the Aggies away when they had the big opportunity.
Momentum quickly swung to the Aggies' side in less than three minutes going on a torrid 11-0 run to capture a 55-54 lead with 11:42 to play. Barton responded back with the next four on back-to-back buckets from Justin Harmon and Demarcus Morris, but again the Aggies countered back as the teams would eventually swap the lead ten times down the stretch.
Falling behind 80-77 with thirty nine seconds left following Kyle Murray's converted layup attempt, the Cougars would get one last chance for the equalizer but Jaheim Holden's potential game tying three pointer fell short.
Three Cougars reached double-digits with Harmon's fifteen and a team high seven rebounds and three steals leading the way with sophomores Martin Vogts and Demarcus Morris each scoring ten.
The Aggies canned nine three-pointers on the night, four coming from Murray in a game high twenty-seven points. Jerry Carraway added eleven off the bench with Shem'mario Stephens contributing ten.