Opening with the Sterling JV wasn’t a great test for the Barton women’s basketball team. So getting back on the floor for the Best Western/Booster Club Classic over the weekend was going to be a better barometer where the Cougars stand to start the season.
It showed a good reading.
Barton rolled to a win over No. 20 Northeastern Oklahoma on the first night of the Classic then handled Murray State on the second night to finish with a pair of wins.
The Cougars hammer NEO, 87-60, Friday then closed out the weekend with a 91-58 win over Murray State on Saturday to run their record to 3-0 on the year.
“We are playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Coach Alan Clark said. “Hopefully we can continue that.”
Barton made a statement with a 27-point win over NEO Friday. The Cougars exploded out of the blocks against the No. 20 team in the nation and never looked back.
The Cougars got an early 3-pointer from sharp-shooter Mallory Miller on the way a 6-0 lead three minutes into the game. After a basket by the Norse, the Cougars followed with another 6-0 run highlighted by a pair of Irene Chukwudi buckets to make it 12-2.
Barton put the hammer down with an 11-0 run capped by another Miller trey and Barton led 25-4 late in the first. A Kolby Davis putback made it 27-4 as the Cougars ended the first 10 minutes up 27-5.
“We want to play fast,” Coach Clark said. “The key for us when we do that is we need to make sure we play in control while we are playing fast.”
The lead reached 41-13 in the second quarter and 43-20 at half as Barton cruised to the big win.
Jaylin Stapleton and Fatou Ndao both scored 14 points to lead five Barton players in double figures. Madison Dirks scored 11 while Richelle Turney and Chukwudi added 10 each.
Ndao collected eight boards and Stapleton handed out seven assists in the win.
Saturday wasn’t quite as good of a start but a big second quarter put the Cougars in the driver’s seat.
A 25-12 second quarter pushed the Cougars lead to 47-27 at the half. A 10-2 run by Barton turned a 30-20 lead into a 40-22 lead. Regan scored eight for Barton during that run.
Just to make sure, the Cougars came out in the second, started by a Miller 3-pointer, on a 7-0 run in the opening minute to double up the Aggies, 54-27.
Regan led five Cougars in double figures with 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. Stapleton added 12 points and six assists.
Turney scored 11 while Chukwudi and Miller each finished with 10. Chukwudi added nine rebounds and Turney seven rebounds and four assists.
The Cougars will host the Kansas Wesleyan JV Tuesday night in a 5:30 pm tip before heading to Florida to play Palm Beach State and St. Petersburg Nov. 19 and 20 during the Thanksgiving Break.
Barton 91, Murray St 58
Murray 15 12 14 17 – 58
Barton 22 25 22 22 – 91
Murray St (1-3) 58
Greene 0-6 2-2 2, Jessepe 8-12 1-3 20, Wade 1-4 0-0 2, Endsley 3-8 2-2 9, Gueye 0-3 0-0 0, Bearce 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 1-4 0-0 2, Reeves 3-10 1-4 10, Belvin 1-7 2-2 5, Nascimento 1-5 1-2 3, Blankenship 0-6 0-2 0, Cooper 1-6 0-0 3, Mapp 1-1 0-2 2. Totals – 20-74 9-19 58.
Barton (3-0) 91
Stapleton 3-6 5-10 12, Regan 5-7 4-6 14, Keith 1-2 0-0 2, Miller 4-9 0-0 10, Chukwudi 4-11 2-2 10, Turney 4-14 0-0 11, Hunt 2-2 0-0 4, White 3-5 0-0 6, Talbott 0-0 0-0 0, Phillips 0-0 0-0 0, Ndao 3-4 0-0 6, Dirks 3-7 0-0 7, Davis 1-2 3-8 5, Nichols 0-2 0-0 0. Totals – 34-72 14-26 91.
3-pointers – Murray 9-36 (Jessepe 3-5, Reeves 3-7, Endsley 1-1, Belvin 1-4, Cooper 1-5, Nascimento 0-1, Wade 0-1, Smith 0-2, Blankenship 0-5), Barton 9-21 (Turney 3-6, White 2-2, Miller 2-6, Stapleton 1-2, Dirks 1-3, Regan 0-1, Nichols 0-1).
Rebounds – Murray 35 (Jessepe 6), Barton 69 (Regan 16). Assists – Murray 10 (4 with 2), Barton 17 (Stapleton 6). Steals – Murray 9 (Jessepe 5), Barton 3 (Stapleton 2). Blocks – Murray 6 (Smith 2), Barton 3 (Turney 2).
Turnovers – Murray 13, Barton 23. Fouled Out – None. Technicals – None.
Barton 87, No 20 NEO 60
NEO 5 15 24 16 – 60
Barton 27 16 23 21 – 87
NEO (2-1) 60
Brooks 2-7 5-6 10, Mununga 1-2 0-0 2, Johnson 7-22 1-1 19, Arango 2-3 2-3 6, Jackson 3-9 6-10 12, McAdams 0-2 0-0 0, Holl 0-0 0-2 0, Blackbear 1-2 0-0 2, Stebetskova 4-7 1-2 9. Totals – 20-54 15-24 60.
Barton (2-0) 87
Stapleton 3-8 7-8 14, Regan 2-2 2-4 6, Ndao 7-12 0-0 14, Miller 3-7 0-0 8, Chukwudi 5-7 0-0 10, Turney 5-11 0-0 10, Hunt 2-4 0-1 4, White 0-1 0-0 0, Phillips 0-1 0-0 0, Keith 1-2 0-0 2, Dirks 4-6 1-2 11, Davis 3-5 2-2 8, Nichols 0-0 0-0 0. Totals – 35-66 12-19 87.
3-pointers – NEO 5-16 (Johnson 4-9, Brooks 1-3, Jackson 0-1, Blackbear 0-1, McAdams 0-2), Barton xx ().
Rebounds – NEO 29 (Mugunga 6), Barton 41 (Ndao 8). Assists – NEO 7 (Jackson 3), Barton 15 (Stapleton 7). Steals – NEO 6 (Arango 3), Barton 12 (Chukwudi 3). Blocks – NEO 3 (Brooks 2), Barton 4 (Hunt 2).
Turnovers – NEO 22, Barton 18. Fouled Out – None. Technicals – None.
