DODGE CITY — For the second straight time for Barton Community College, a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Western Division game came down to a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
For the second straight time, Erin Copeland took that shot for the Lady Cougars and missed as Dodge City won 71-68 at United Wireless Arena.
“It didn’t go and honestly, we didn’t deserve for it to go,” Barton head coach Carter Kruger said of the final shot. “If we had somehow won that game, it would’ve been robbery. Dodge City outplayed us the entire game. They wanted it a lot.”
The Lady Conquistadors, who snapped a 16-game losing streak against Barton that stretched back to March 2, 2005, improves to 8-16 overall, 2-8 in West play.
Barton drops to 12-11, 2-8.
“I thought that we played like we didn’t want to win,” Kruger said. “We didn’t play with any passion, like it was Saturday morning and we were going to the YMCA. That’s what happens when you don’t play with passion.”
Trailing 60-53 with 7:29 remaining, Barton rolled out an 11-2 run to take its first lead of the second half.
Kailai Brantner made a layup, followed by a jumper by Taschell Phillips, who had 13 points in the game.
Dodge City’s Rodeshia Mouton missed a pair of free throws, and Kelli Tolar made the front end of a pair of free throws, making it 61-57.
Taylor Mayes, who finished with 12 points, was fouled in the paint, making both of her foul shots. She also had nine rebounds and five blocks.
Tolar made the front end of a one-and-one for the Lady Conqs, making it 63-59 with 5:13 remaining.
Copeland, who helped the Lady Cougars stay in the game early in the second quarter with a pair of 3s, made a trey from the right wing, and after a Brantner steal, Phillips scored on a finger roll for a 64-63 Barton advantage.
Nicole Salazar hit a long trey, regaining the lead for Dodge City. The Lady Conqs maintained their advantage for the win.
Copeland led the Lady Cougars with 15 points, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range.
Dodge City sank six 3-pointers in the first half.
However, Barton was able to get a few steals and turnovers leading to small runs to keep the score close. There were six ties and eight lead changes in the first half.
“The game was decided on the defensive end,” Kruger said. “All the shots they took were in rhythm, and we were a step behind them.”
Blair Bloomfield scored 11 points in the first half for the Lady Cougars, hitting multiple mid-ranged jumpers to keep Barton close. She finished with 13 points in the game.
Barton hosts Garden City on Saturday night. Garden upset No. 1-ranked Hutchinson 64-62 in overtime on Wednesday night. The game starts at 5:30 at Kirkman Activity Center.
— Kevin Price
JUNIOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Kansas Jayhawk Community
College Conference
Western Division
WOMEN
Wednesday
At Dodge City
United Wireless Arena
Dodge City Community College 71, Barton 68
BARTON (12-11, 2-8)
Erin Copeland 6-13 0-0 15, Taschell Phillips 6-12 0-0 13, Blair Bloomfield 4-16 4-4 13, Taylor Mayes 3-7 6-6 12, Ta’Kerra Williams 2-4 2-2 6, Kailai Brantner 3-9 0-3 6, Ashton Bruner 1-9 1-2 3, Jennifer Allende 0-0 0-0 0, Jackie Bueno 0-0 0-0 0, Kelsey Keith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-70 13-17 68.
DODGE CITY (8-16, 2-8)
Kesha Buckner 6-17 3-3 15, Kelli Tolar 4-9 3-4 14, Nicole Salazar 3-7 0-0 9, Rodeshia Mouton 4-5 0-2 8, Brenna Briggs 2-4 2-2 7, Jameeshia Armstrong 2-7 2-4 7, Katren Cramer 2-5 0-0 5, Casey McCauley 1-2 2-2 4, Jakyrah Westmoreland 1-5 0-0 2, Austynia Ruiz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-61 12-17 71.
Halftime — Dodge City 34, Barton 29. Three-point goals — Barton 5-15 (Copeland 3-6, Bloomfield 1-5, Phillips 1-2, Brantner 0-2); Dodge City 9-20 (Salazar 3-6, Tolar 3-5, Armstrong 1-3, Cramer 1-2, Briggs 1-3, Buckner 0-1). Rebounds — Barton 45 (Bruner 9, Mayes 9); Dodge City 41 (Buckner 10). Assists — Barton 11 (Brantner 6); Dodge City 15 (Salazar 3, Westmoreland 3, Briggs 3). Steals — Barton 9 (Brantner 5); Dodge City 6 (Buckner). Turnovers — Dodge City 12, Barton 8. Total fouls — Barton 18, Dodge City 16. Fouled out — None.
