The Barton Community College women's basketball team countered adversity Wednesday evening at the Barton Gym with stepped up play and all-around defensive effort to earn a 61-45 victory over Cloud County Community College.
Playing without national player of the week Vera Ojenuwa due to sickness, the Cougars received a season high performance and first collegiate double-double by sophomore McKenna Vogl along with stepped up play throughout the lineup in holding Cloud County to its season low shooting percentage and points scored.
Breaking away from a 6-all tie with a 9-0 run, the Cougars never allowed the margin to get any closer the rest of night, tacking on an another 12 straight in the second frame to double up the T-Birds at the halftime break 34-17.
The teams played more even in second half action as Cloud County would outscore Barton by one in the final moments but the result was never threatened in the Cougars' 10th straight win of the series.
Receiving votes for the third straight week in the national poll, the fourth straight win improves Barton to 11-4 in conference and 16-5 overall while Cloud County falls to 8-7 in league play and 12-8 on the season.
The Cougars hit the road on Saturday to Arkansas City for their next contest tipping off at 1:00 p.m. against Cowley College (5-10, 11-10) as the Tigers will be looking to snap their current 3-game losing streak.
Vogl made the most of filling-in for Ojenuwa, scoring four points and grabbing four rebounds helping Barton get off to a strong start, finishing the contest with career highs 11 points, 12 rebounds including five on the offensive side, in 33 minutes of court time.
Stepping up her play in absence of her fellow inside tower, Vivian Onugha poured in a game high 17 points and grabbed a career high 18 rebounds including seven from the offensive glass for her 8th double-double of the season.
Quezia Bertoni and Tatum Boettjer each dropped two treys on the night in scoring 12 points apiece with Grace John adding just 3 points but dished out a game high 7 assists. Also stepping up their play, Darby Smith added 4 points and 3 rebounds with Ella Brown contributing two points.
The Cougars weren't exactly blistering the nets from the field at 38.5% nor the free throw stripe at just 6-of-14, but held its own on the boards for a plus-11 advantage leading to a plus-12 in second chance points while controlling the paint by a plus-16 point margin.
Barton helped hold Cloud County to its season's worst shooting at just 22.4% and points scored as just five players hit the scoring column being led by Destiny Smith's 13 points with Bailey Burns adding 11 points. Maimouna Sissoko led the T-Birds rebounding with 15 boards including six on the offensive glass.
SERIES NOTES:
- Barton has won 10 straight in the series
- Barton has won the last eight meetings in Great Bend
- Barton leads the series 28-12 in Great Bend
- Barton leads the overall series 47-35