Clutch down the stretch, Lady Cougars pull out late road victory
The Barton women’s basketball team needed some key late plays by a couple of sophomores to pick up a 47-44 road non-conference victory Tuesday over Kansas City Kansas Community College. With the win Barton improves to 5-1 on the season while giving KCK its first loss and dropping them to 3-1. Barton will take the week off from competition until it hosts Cowley College next Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. tilt at the Barton Gym.
Trailing by one with under a minute to play, the Cougars went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe and used stifling defense to earn the victory over the Blue Devils. Sophomore Erin Copeland, a Kansas City native, connected on the first of her one-on-one free throw opportunity then sank the second giving the Cougars a one-point lead with thirty-five seconds remaining. The Lady Cougar defense stiffened down the stretch forcing an off-balance shot rebounded by sophomore Ta'Kerra Williams. Fouled on the play, Williams delivered the knock-out punch making both free throws with 4.6 seconds left. The Blue Devils were able to get off a desperation attempt to tie but to no avail and Barton escaped with the victory.
Copeland led the Lady Cougars in scoring with twelve points and just missed a double-double finishing with nine rebounds. Williams, who was the only other Lady Cougar in double-digit scoring, finished with ten points but grabbed thirteen rebounds to record her first career double-double. Brittan Clement and Bailey West led a balanced Blue Devil offense with eight points each.
Despite a cold 26% percent shooting from the floor compared to 45% shooting from the Blue Devils, Barton controlled the boards and free throw line. The Lady Cougars outrebounded KCK 45-31 with an astounding 22 coming on the offensive end. Getting to the line 28 times to KCK's 6, Barton outscored the Blue Devils by ten despite shooting only 46%.