The Barton Community College women's basketball team recovered from a first half deficit Friday night to pull out a 76-71 victory in overtime over Jefferson College on day one of the Best Western/Cougar Booster Club Classic at the Barton Gym.
Improving to 4-2 on the season, Barton handed Jefferson their first loss of the season in slipping to 4-1. The Cougars will next play on Saturday in the 5:30 p.m. tilt against Labette Community College. The 2-3 Cardinals gave 7th ranked Hutchinson Community College fits in the earlier Friday contest before the Blue Dragons pulled away for a 64-49 victory improving to 5-0.
The Cougars and Vikings battled to a one point margin after the first frame before the Vikings were able to outscore Barton by seven to take a 30-24 edge to the locker room.
Led by Queen Ulabo's nine third quarter points with six coming off the bench by Hannah Valentine, Barton surged out to a pair of tally lead to the fourth.
Jefferson heated up early in the fourth quarter but the midway point was controlled by the Cougars in opening up a five point edge following Kolby Davis slash through the lane as the reverse layup took the score to 61-56 with 3:50 to play.
A 7-0 run kick started by Kelly Hunter's lone three-pointer of the contest and capped with her pair of free throws put the visitors out in front by two with 1:54 to play. Ulabo tied it up with sixty seconds left with Barton earning the final play of the game following a big defensive stand but Tiffany Dortland's baseline trey came up empty.
Augustina Talisimov gave Jefferson the early lead of the extra frame with Giana Copeland's 1-of-2 trip to the line answering Vanessa Oduah's equalizer put the Vikings out front for the final time with 2:48 left.
Davis seesawed the scoreboard back to the Cougars' advantage eight seconds later with the clinching sequence of a defensive stop followed by three offensive rebounds set up Oduah's hoop-n-harm with 2:11 left giving Barton a 70-66 lead.
Another pair of Oduah free throws all but sealed the victory with 43 seconds left, icing the game twenty-two second later building a six point margin.
Ulabo led four Cougars in double digits, matching a career high twenty-one points while setting a new career high rebound effort in hauling down thirteen rebounds in posting the red shirt freshman's second collegiate double-double.
Davis finished with fourteen points and seven rebounds as Oduah added thirteen and team high four assists. Valentine led the bench production with ten as D'Shonda Hunt helped Barton to a twelve rebound advantage by securing a career high ten boards.
Tyra Brown led all scorers with twenty-two points but on just 9-of-27 shooting, to go along with eight rebounds and a game high six dimes. Chiara De Virgillio dropped in fourteen behind 4-of-7 shooting from behind the arc while Copeland grabbed twelve boards and swatted away six Barton shots.
In the earlier women's contest, Hutchinson led by just two points after the initial ten minutes of action to outscore Labette by six for a halftime 34-26 lead. The Blue Dragons added to their lead in the final two quarters to remain unbeaten on the season.
Makayla Vannett led all scorers with twenty-two points behind 6-of-12 shooting behind the arc with Tor'e Alford knocking down three of her five treys for eleven points. Fellow Blue Dragons Nafatoumata Hairdara and Brooklyn Betham added twelve and ten respectively with Lauryn Mapusua dishing out seven dimes ahead of Alford's six.
Denijsha Wilson came off the bench to lead Labette with thirteen points with Diamond Jones adding ten and team high six assists.