Barton women dominate first half for runaway victory at Pratt #GoBarton

The Barton Community College women needed a win and a Wednesday trip to Pratt provided some relief as the Lady Cougars dominated first half action before cruising to a 70-45 victory over Pratt Community College at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena. The win snapped a four game slide improving to 11-13 in conference play and getting back to the .500 mark at 14-14 overall while sending Pratt to its fourth straight defeat dropping to 2-22 in the Jayhawk and 3-24 overall.

Barton's regular season home finale on Saturday will be a big one in the conference standings and Region VI placement as the ninth place Lady Cougars still have a shot of a first round playoff game. Standing in the way is eighth place Coffeyville Community College (12-11, 14-13) as the Red Ravens own a two-game margin heading into Thursday's game hosting Butler. Regardless of the outcome, Saturday's contest will be a preview of the first round game with the host school to be determined with the two remaining games on the schedule.

Irene Chukwudi got off to a hot start scoring six straight to help Barton begin their dominant night springing the Lady Cougars to an early 8-1 lead. Jaylin Stapleton's three ball in final moment of the quarter would again provide a seven point margin going into a game deciding second frame of action.

Another six Stapleton points would help provide a 12-0 run by the Lady Cougars extending the lead to nineteen. Barton then closed out the remaining three minutes of the half outscoring the Beavers by three behind four Natasha Dolinsky points and Mallory Miller's first of five three-pointers on the night in holding Pratt to just four points in the quarter for a 36-14 halftime lead.

Stapleton's six points and two Miller long range shots exploded the lead out to 48-17 early in third quarter play before a seven point Pratt scoring stretch closed the margin to twenty-four at 48-24. The lead grew by another point in the remaining four minutes of the frame with four points coming from Micaela Jellison in the quarter and Stapleton knocking down her second trey.

Ending the third quarter with a bucket, Pratt tacked on six more to begin the fourth before Taylor Regan's 1-of-2 trip to the line halted the run. Another pair of treys from Miller highlighted the Barton scoring the rest of the way as the teams each scored fourteen in the final frame in the twenty-five point Barton victory.

Stapleton's twenty-one points led all scorers with Miller dropping seventeen on 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc and dishing out a team high three assists. Dolinsky and Regan added eight points with Regan leading a eleven Barton rebound edge collecting fourteen off the glass.

Dakota Smith was the lone Pratt player in double figures being joined by Jada Catlin securing a team high five rebounds each.