Cougars knock off No. 1 ranked Cloud County, 96-93, in West action

Cougars knock off No. 1 ranked Cloud County, 96-93, in West action
The Barton County Community College women's basketball team made a statement Wednesday night at the Barton County. With no post-season possibility due probation placed on the Barton County athletic department, the only thing Barton can play for  this year is to win more Jayhawk West games than any other team – two of those teams are currently ranked in the Top 5 in the nation. Barton took one of those down Wednesday, as the Cougars beat the No. 1 ranked Cloud County Thunderbirds, 96-93, at the Barton County Gym. The Cougars led nearly the entire basketball game, holding off the Thunderbirds in the end for the win. Barton will set its sights on completing a big week of basketball Saturday as No. 5 ranked Seward County comes to the Barton Gym. Barton improved to 15-2 overall this season and 3-0 in the West.

Highlights
The Cougars never trailed in the 1st half, taking a 44-42 lead to halftime. During that opening alf of action, Barton's DePrice Taylor found the zone. The freshman from Detroit hit 7-of-9 shots form the floor, including 2-of-2 on 3's and went to half with 19 points.

The Thunderbirds came out and buried a 3-pointer for a 45-44 lead. That would be the only lead of the night for the T-Birds. Barton responded to its first deficit of the game with a 13-0 run to grab its biggest lead of the game at 57-45. Andrea Barber tossed 5 during the run and Inga Muciniece added 4 for Barton. The Cougar lead was trimmed to 1 point on 4 occasions midway through the half, but the Cougars would not relinquish the lead. The 1st time came at 11:02 when Cloud made it 66-65 but Muciniece countered with a basket. After Cloud made it 69-68, Barton went on a 3-0 run with a Taylor free throw and a Tiffany Haggen bucket. After Cloud made it 72-71, Barber immediately hit a layup to make it 3 once again.

The final time Cloud cut it to 1, Barton all but put the hammer down. Up by a 74-73 score with 8:42 to play, Haggen again put Barton back up 3 and sent the Cougars on a run. Barton went on a 12-2 run over the next 3 minutes to take an 86-75 lead. Barton made the run on the strength of Barber and LaToya Jackson 3-pointers as well as 4-for-4 free throw shooting.

However, it was free throw shooting which by Barton which kept Cloud in the game late. Barton hit just 6-of-12 free throws in the final 4 minutes of play as Cloud kept creeping closer to the Cougars. But the closest Cloud would get would be that 3 point final margin.

Several players starred in the win for Barton, but three really rose to the occasion. Taylor rode her 19-point 1st half to a 27-point contest, matching her career high in her freshman season. Barber came close to her career mark, tossing in 26 points and handing out 7 assists. Muciniece made it 5 double-doubles in 6 games. Muciniece scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as well. That was in addition to guarding pre-season All-American Stanecia Graham. Graham ended with 19 points and 9 rebounds. She was one of 5 Cloud players in double figures, led by Lindsey Klug with 22.

Seward County, 16-0 overall and 2-0 in the West will be the next opponent for the Cougars as they try to knock off two Top 5 teams in the same week.

Stats
Full stats can be found at www.bartonccc.edu/sports

Next
Sat, Jan 13 – v No. 5 Seward, 6 pm (Jayhawk West play at the Barton County Gym)