Cougars lose big halftime lead in loss at Colby

Cougars lose big halftime lead in loss at Colby

The Barton Community College men's basketball team lost a big halftime lead Wednesday night at Colby, suffering its 6th loss in 7 games. Barton led by 22 at half but lost the contest 77-75 at the Community Building in Colby. The loss drops Barton to 6-9 in the Jayhawk West and 18-11 overall. Barton has one more game left in the regular season Saturday when Pratt visits the Barton Gym. Colby finishes its regular season with a 6-10 West record and a 15-15 overall mark. A Cougar win Saturday would send them to Cowley for 1st round Region VI play while a loss would send them to Coffeyville.

Highlights
The game was like a microcosm to the Cougars West season. Barton played extremely well in the first half, rolling up a 22-point lead on the road in doubling up the Trojans 44-22. Much like Barton did in winning 3 road contests its first time through the West. But, as has been the case in losing 6 of 7 in the 2nd half, Barton struggled to make shots in the 2nd half and watched that 22-point lead disappear.

The Cougars shot 45 percent in the opening half, hitting 19-of-42 shots and 5-of-15 3-pointers. Barton turned the ball over just 3 times in that opening half as they put 44 points on the board. The Cougars also limited Colby to just 28 percent shooting. Barton dominated the paint, outscoring Colby 24-6 in the paint and out-rebounded the Trojans 32-15.

Then came the 2nd half where Barton struggled to just 11-of-31 shooting for 36 percent and made just 2-of-7 3-pointers. But most telling was Barton's 7-of-18 effort at the free throw. During a 2-minute stretch late in the game Barton missed 7 straight free throws. In the final 4 minutes, Barton was just 2-for-12 at the free throw line.

Barton led Colby 56-39 with just more than 13 minutes left after a Dwayne Brunson jumper. That is when Barton went cold. The Cougars scored just 4 points over the next 4 minutes while Colby went to work. When Carson Konrade knocked down a 3-pointer at the 9-minute mark, Colby had trimmed the lead to 60-57.

Barton held off Colby for several more minutes before the Trojans tied the game at 64-64 with 5:30 to play then took the lead the next time down the floor. Colby would built that lead to 5 before Barton battled back to tie the game at 74-74 on a Brunson dunk along the baseline off a pass from Adam Young. But the next trip down the floor Konrade was fouled shooting a 3-pointer and hit all 3 free throws to push the lead back to 3.

The free throw woes wouldn't go away. Barton – which had already missed 7 straight from the 4-minute mark to the 2-minute mark – missed a pair of free throws with 38 seconds to play but Beatty grabbed Brunson's 2nd miss and was fouled. Beatty, however, could only hit 1 of 2 attempts to trim the margin to 77-75 with 37 seconds to play. After a pair of free throws misses by Michael Morris for Colby, Barton had a last chance to tie. Beatty missed a jumper and Young grabbed the rebound and missed a put-back as Colby escaped with the win.

Brunson scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Barton to go with 7 blocked shots. Jalen Boyd scored 14 and Young grabbed 14 rebounds. Storm Sanders handed out 8 assists. Konrade led 4 Trojans in double figures with 18. Colby hit 55 percent from the floor in the 2nd half and made 8-of-15 3-pointers.

Barton will wrap up its regular season Saturday when Pratt comes to the Barton Gym. Pratt has already been eliminated from playoff contention as the 9th place team in the West. Barton is playing for 7th or 8th place. Saturday will be Hall of Fame Day at Barton as five new members will receive their plaques at halftime of the men's game.  

Stats
Stats can be found was www.bartonsports.com

Next
Feb 26 – v Pratt 8 pm (Jayhawk West game at the Barton Gym in Great Bend)