Behind a forty point third quarter the Barton Community College women's basketball team led by as many as fifty-three points Saturday afternoon at the Barton Gym in rolling to a 117-71 victory over Neosho County Community College.
Staying unbeaten in the team's series meetings, the Cougars improve to 3-2 in KJCCC play and 4-2 on the season while the Panthers drop to 1-4 in league and 2-5 overall. The momentum will be much needed in Barton's next contest as the Cougars travel to 16th ranked Butler Community College on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. tip.
Barton scored the first six points of the afternoon and following a pair of Neosho County free throws, rattled off thirteen straight for a commanding 19-2 early lead. Vanessa Oduah, who would go on to score a career high 33 points, came off the bench to score eleven points in the first frame with Lyndi Rumford knocking down a pair of three-pointers helping Barton to a 32-13 lead after the first ten minutes.
The Cougars followed with tying its then high twenty eight points in the second frame, getting an additional eleven from Oduah in doubling up the Panthers 60-30 to the locker room.
Following a Neosho County bucket to open up second half play, Barton buried the Panthers scoring the next eleven and setting a new season high in quarter points scored on a 40-17 frame advantage. Queen Ulabo heated up in the quarter with nine points, all coming at the beginning of Barton's first spurt. The Cougars also put together a streak of sixteen straight in the frame including back-to-back three pointers from Gabby Flute Player and Harata Coleman, who not only made her first collegiate trey, but got into the scoring column for the first time in a Barton uniform.
Tiffany Dortland's pair of free throws to begin the final quarter pushed Barton's lead to its largest at fifty-five. Neosho County would go on to outscore the Cougars the rest of the way for a 24-17 frame advantage.
Joining Oduah in double-figures were four other Cougars as all but two players found the scoring column. Dortland reached the twenty point total for the third time of her sophomore campaign finishing with 20 points with Ulabo carding 15 points. Also joining Oduah with career high performances, Flute Player's two three-pointers contributed to 12 points while Rebecca Leveque's 5-of-8 shooting added 10 points. Cora Anderson led in rebounds with a solid eight point and eight rebound effort as Barton controlled the glass with a 53-32 board edge with twenty coming on the offensive end. Four players had three assists each as Dortland's four thefts led Barton's fifteen total resulting in a thirty point advantage in the points-off-turnovers category.
Mike'Ya House led three Panthers in double-digit scoring with 13 with Lauren Jones recording 12. Tanay Williams came off the bench for 11 points and team high seven rebounds.
Other Game Notes:
- Head Coach Alan Clark moved into a tie with Tony Hobson for third place on the program's coaching list for most wins, improving his record to 78-58.
- Barton connected on 6-of-20 (30%) from beyond the arc, just the first time in five conference games of reaching 30% shooting from deep.
- After a slow start to the season, Barton has shot 70% or better from the free line in the last two games. Saturday's 70.8% (17-of-24) performance is a new season high.
- Saturday's meeting with Neosho County marks the third straight game in the series Barton has eclipsed 100 points against the Panthers and the fifth time of the last six meetings.
- Barton now leads the series 26-0 over Neosho County