PRATT — The Barton women’s basketball team had not won back-to-back games since the first two contests of the season.
Saturday in Pratt at Lesh Auditorium provided Barton a great opportunity to end that stretch. The Cougars were coming off a win over Cloud County. Pratt sat near the bottom of the Jayhawk Conference standings.
While it wasn’t easy for a good portion of the contest, the Cougars eventually pulled away in the third quarter to notch back-to-back wins for the first time in Jayhawk play.
The Cougars never trailed in the contest, but weren’t able to shake the Beavers until well into the second half for the 53-35 win.
Barton is now 3-4 in the Jayhawk and 6-7 overall. Pratt sits next to last in the conference at 1-6 and 2-9.
Barton led from the opening tip but couldn’t not separate from the Beavers. Every time Barton built a decent lead, Pratt would rally in the defensive contest.
The Cougars scored the first six points of the game thanks to a pair of Jenny Nkem Womsi buckets but Pratt battled to cut the lead to one before the Cougars ended the first quarter up 12-9. Those two early baskets would be the beginning of a huge night for the freshman from Cameroon.
The Cougars started the second quarter much like first. Alissa Heskamp opened with a trey then Nkem Womsi scored back-to-back hoops and Barton had a 19-9 just 2:30 into the period.
Barton led 21-13 with 5:13 play in the first half and looked to be in control. But the Cougars would not score those final five-plus minutes as the Beavers closed to within a single digit at half, 21-20. Once again, Barton started hot to open a quarter as the second half got underway. A 7-2 run made it a 28-22 contest three minutes in. Barton’s lead hit double figures for the second time in the contest when Heskamp made her second 3-pointer to make it a 35-24 game with 4:10 left. This time there would be no drought to follow.
A Morgan Meyers 3-pointer made it 38-24 the next trip down. Barton wasn’t done. Acorianna Lard pushed it to 16 with a layup the following possession as a 12-0 run put Barton in complete control, up 40-24.
Nkem Womsi would add a 3-point play and Meyers another 3-pointer as the Cougars pulled away in the third frame.
The Cougars put up 25 points in the third after just 21 the entire first half. Barton outscored Pratt 25-7 in that third period to take a 46-27 lead into the final 10 minutes of play.
Barton’s lead hit 22 on a couple of occasions in the final period, the final one at 53-31 with 7:38 left. The Cougars did not score the rest of the way but limited Pratt to just four points to notch the win.
Neither team tore the nets up in the contest but Pratt struggled mightily, hitting just 15-of-55 from the floor for 27 percent. The Beavers were 0-for-15 on 3s.
Nkem Womsi nearly outrebounded Pratt by herself as she put up career numbers in the win. Nkem Womsi finished with 18 rebounds, one above her career high and the third straight game she has reached double digits rebounds. Pratt had just 22 boards as a team.
The 6-1 Nkem Womsi also had a career-high 17 points. It was her third straight double-double. She was joined in double figures by Heskamp who tossed in 11 off the bench. Meyers led Barton with five assists.
The Cougars will wrap up the first semester of play when No. 14 Butler visits the Barton Gym Monday. Butler is currently second in the Jayhawk standings at 6-2. The Grizzlies defeated Cloud Saturday after suffering back-to-back losses at Hutchinson and Dodge City.
Tip at the Barton Gym is set for 5:30 pm.
Barton 53, Pratt 35
Barton 12 9 25 7 - 53
Pratt 9 11 7 8 - 35
Barton 6-7, 3-4 (53)
Shubert 2-7 0-0 4, Lard 3-9 2-3 8, Kirchhoff 1-3 0-0 2, Meyers 3-9 0-0 9, Nkem Womsi 7-12 3-3 17, Heskmap 4-9 0-0 11, Hall 0-0 0-0 0, Anderson 1-4 0-0 2, Wolf 0-0 0-0 0, Rumford 0-0 0-0 0, Crites 0-0 0-0 0, Schroer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 5-6 53.
Pratt 1-6, 2-9 (35)
Daniels 4-11 2-2 10, Sodipe 2-11 2-4 6, Onwugbufor 4-9 1-5 9, Wiebe 2-8 0-0 4, Juresiute 1-9 0-0 2, Washington 2-7 0-1 4, Saenz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-55 5-12 35.
3-pointers -- Barton 6-20 (Heskamp 3-7, Meyers 3-8, Lard 0-1, Shubert 0-2, Kirchhoff 0-2). Pratt 0-15 (Wiebe 0-1, Sodipe 0-2, Onwugbufor 0-2, Washington 0-4, Juresiute 0-6).
Rebounds - Barton 40 (Nkem Womsi 18), Pratt 22 (Daniels 8); Assists - Barton 17 (Meyers 5), Pratt 9 (Onwugbufor 3). Steals - Barton 0, Pratt 9 (Daniels 3). Blocks - Barton 6 (Lard 2, Heskamp 2), Pratt 2 (Onwugubufor, Juresiute).
Turnovers - Barton 10, Pratt 17; Fouled out - Kirchhoff, Barton. Technicals - None.
