Cougars close out historic basketball floor with impressive victory over Hill College
The No. 15 ranked Cougars wrapped up the Best Western Angus Inn and Cougar Booster Club Thanksgiving Basketball Classic Saturday night in a come-from-behind 86-75 win over Hill College. Playing their last game on the historic Barton gym floor, the Cougars improve to 10-0 on the season and will close out their non-conference portion of their schedule next weekend at the Highland Community College Classic in Highland, Kansas.
The Cougars jumped out to a 12-2 lead with 15:26 to play in the first half against the Rebels. Hill battled back the next six minutes to draw within one at 20-19 with 9:05 to play. After Barton took a three point lead, the Cougars and Rebels traded leads the rest of the half until a three-pointer by Hill's Tramique Sutherland with thirty-nine seconds remaining gave the Rebels a 37-34 intermission lead.
The Rebels built a seven point lead early in the second half before two steals by Kevin Kuteyi turned the momentum. Kuteyi's first steal resulted in an Algie Key layup and the second resulted in a Turon Parker trey as Barton drew within one at 42-43 with 16:29 to play. After the Rebels pushed the lead back to five, back-to-back treys by Kuteyi and Parker gave Barton the lead with 14:46 to play and a lead it would never relinquish the rest of the way.
Key led four Cougars in double figures with 36 points, 25 of those coming in the second half as the sophomore was 8-of-11 from the field and 9-of-11 from the foul line. Raheem Johnson contributed 13 points and 7 blocked shots while Kuteyi and Parker scored 11 and 10 respectively including identical 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Rapheal Stephens led the Cougars in rebounding with 11, just missing a double-double finishing with 8 points.
Tramique Sutherland led the Rebels scoring with 18 with Javonte Douglas scoring 15, PJ Lockridge with 12, and Katrell Myers with 11.