Welcome back, Elijah Ford.

After missing the final seven games of the opening semester with a wrist injury, Ford was back in a big way for the Cougars to open the second semster.

The lone returning starter from last year’s Elite Eight team, Ford made it known he was back in a big way, scoring a team-high 22 points to lead Barton past Butler, 89-67, at the Barton Gym Saturday night.

“He brings so much to our team,” Coach Craig Fletchall said of Ford. “He brings a lot of energy to our lineup and just makes us better. He inspires us.”

The win improved Barton to 12-2 overall and 3-2 in the Jayhawk in its first action in nearly a month for both teams. Butler is now 9-6 and 2-4.

Ford came out with a bounce in his step from the opening tip. He scored 13 points in the first nine minutes as the Cougars raced to a 17-8 lead.

The Grizzlies would cut the lead down to 17-15 as Cougars not named Elijah Ford had troubles scoring.

Finally, Dallas Bryson made a pair of field goals and a free throw to take the lid off and Barton was back on the offensive track. Those five straight by Bryson made it 22-15 as Barton was on its way.

Martin Vogts made it 30-21 with 4:23 to play to match Barton’s biggest lead. Barton got the game into double digits when Leandre Washington followed up a miss at the goal and hit the ensuing free throw for a 37-25 lead with two minutes left in the half.

Barton led by as many 15 and took a 41-28 lead to halftime.

The second half was all Barton.

Vogts put the lead into the 20’s in the second half with a trey from the top of the key to make it 53-32 just more than four minutes into the second half as the Cougars were in control the entire final 20 minutes of play.

The lead reached as many as 29 near the midway mark of the half as Barton cruised to the easy win.

Ford hit 10-of-12 shots for his 22 points – 18 in the first half. He added 10 rebounds to pick up the double-double. Vogts added 15 in the win, his highest output since a 21-point game back in November.

Barton will head to Concordia to take on Cloud County Wednesday in an 8 pm start. The Thunderbirds, in the East this season, are 4-2 in the Jayhawk and 10-5 overall. The biggest win of the season for the T-Birds was a 72-64 home win over No. 14 Hutchinson in the final game before Christmas. Cloud has won four straight.

Barton 89, Butler 67

Butler   28 39 – 67

Barton  41 48 – 89

Butler (9-6, 2-4) 67

White 5-9 0-4 11, Fugett 3-9 0-0 7, Dennis 2-8 1-2 5, Allen 0-5 2-2 2, Thorne 2-5 0-0 4, Brice 8-14 4-4 23, Ogugua 0-0 0-0 0, Ward 0-0 0-0 0, Golden 1-2 0-0 2, Fofana 4-9 4-5 12, Taylor 0-1 1-2 2. Totals – 25-62 12-19 67.

Barton (12-2, 3-2) 89

Vogts 5-8 2-2 15, Washington 2-12 3-6 8, Ford 10-12 2-3 22, Caldwell 2-6 2-2 6, White 4-11 0-1 9, Andrews 0-0 0-0 0, Johnson 0-0 2-2 2, Hunt 2-5 1-1 5, Bryson 2-2 5-5 9, Williams 2-7 1-1 6, Gildyard 1-2 0-0 2, Morris 2-2 0-0 5. Totals – 32-67 18-23 89.

3-pointers – Butler 5-20 (Brice 3-8, Fugett 1-3, White 1-4, Allen 0-1, Dennis 0-4), Barton 7-23 (Vogts 3-6, Morris 1-1, White 1-3, Washington 1-3, Williams 1-5, Hunt 0-1, Gildyard 0-1, Ford 0-1, Caldwell 0-2).

Rebounds – Butler 34 (Fofana 9), Barton 45 (Ford 10). Assists – Butler 12 (Fugett 4), Barton 13 (Washington 5). Steals – Butler 9 (White 3), Barton 13 (4 with 2). Blocks – Butler 2 (Thorne, Golden), Barton 6 (Ford, White 2).

Turnovers – Butler 20, Barton 19. Fouled Out – Taylor, Butler. Technicals – Morris, Barton.