When it counted, the Barton women’s basketball team stepped on the gas.
The Cougars controlled the final quarter of play Saturday at the Barton Gym, pulling away for a 71-55 win over Independence in Jayhawk Conference basketball.
The win improved Barton to 4-3 in the Jayhawk and 7-4 overall. Independence fell to 2-5 and 4-6.
Barton is now in a tie for sixth in the 14-team conference.
The contest was close until late in the third quarter. Barton closed out the third quarter with four straight points then dominated the final period for the easy win.
Sophomore Regan Unruh finished with a career-high 25 points for the Cougars, thanks in large part to a 9-for-10 effort from the free throw line.
It was her two free throws with 34 seconds left in the third period that started a 14-2 run over the final two periods to put the game on ice.
In the all-important final period, sophomore Katrina Roenfeldt scored 10 points on the strength of three 3-pointers to help put the game out of reach.
The Cougars struggled overall from the field, hitting just 18-of-58 shots for 31 percent. But the Cougars offset that in other areas.
Barton hit 10-of-23 3-pointers as Roenfeldt made 5-of-9 and Unruh 4-of-8. Unruh wasn’t the only deadeye at the free throw line as Barton hit 25-of-30 as a team.
The Cougars also committed just nine turnovers in the win.
Roenfeldt joined Unruh in double figures with 16 points. Baylee Robinson just missed a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds to go with eight points.
Roenfeldt had a game-high seven steals and Unruh five assists.
The Cougars will look to make it three straight wins with a trip to Dodge City Wednesday. Dodge is currently 2-5 in the conference and 2-7 overall.
Tip will be at 5:30 .pm. The Cougars will close out the first semester with a home game Saturday against Hutchinson at 5:30 pm.

Barton 71, Independence 55
Indy 13 15 11 16 55
Barton 13 21 12 25 71
Indy (55)
Murdock 3-6 1-4 7, Alston 2-12 1-2 6, Bagshaw 2-6 1-1 5, Akuen 3-5 0-0 6, Schoenberger 1-4 0-0 2, Aktavina 4-6 2-2 12, Moore 3-11 0-0 7, Hajdukovich 1-6 1-2 3, Corle 2-3 2-2 6, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Kelly 0-0 0-0 0, Porter 0-1 0-0 0, Palmer 0-0 1-2 1. Totals – 21-61 9-15 55.
Barton (71)
Bryson 1-5 3-4 5, Roenfeldt 5-10 1-2 16, Jirak 2-11 0-0 4, Unruh 6-12 9-10 25, Robinson 2-10 4-6 8, Jellison 1-4 4-4 6, Welsch 1-3 0-0 3, Jones 0-3 2-2 2, Chagas 0-0 0-0 0, Clouse 0-0 0-0 0, Mattison 0-0 2-2 2, Walford 0-0 0-0 0. Totals – 18-58 25-30 71.
3-pointers – Indy 4-16 (Aktavina 2-3, Alston 1-6, Moore 1-6, Jones 0-1); Barton 10-23 (Roenfeldt 5-9, Unruh 4-8, Welsch 1-2, Jirak 0-4).
Rebounds – Indy 42 (Schoenberger 10); Barton 41 (Robinson 10). Assists – Indy 6 (Alston 3); Barton 13 (Unruh 5). Steals – Indy 4 (Alston 2); Barton 11 (Roenfeldt 7). Blocks – Indy 4 (Akuen 3); Barton 3 (Jellison 2).
Turnovers – Indy 16, Barton 9. Fouled Out – None. Technicals – None.