Big third quarter leads Barton to 67-55 home win over Lady Tigers

For the third straight game, the Cowley College women's basketball team found themselves in a tight contest at the end of the first half. However, as in the previous two games, the Lady Tigers could not make enough plays in the second half to come away with the victory. This time, losing 67-55 on Wednesday at Barton Community College.

Cowley falls to 7-3 overall and 1-3 in the Jayhawk Conference, while the Cougars improve to 7-2 and 3-1 in conference play.

Trailing 19-12 at the end of the first quarter, Cowley got a boost from freshman Zuzanna Komor. Playing in her first game since November 6, Komor scored 13 second-quarter points to help the Lady Tigers pull within 34-31 at the end of the first half.

Cowley's deficit remained at three (38-35) three minutes into the third quarter before Barton began to pull away. The Cougars doubled up the Lady Tigers, 22-11, in the third quarter to lead 56-42 heading into the final quarter of play.

Barton's lead would grow to 62-42 as the Cougars went on to the 12-point home win.

"Barton is a tough place to play, and I did not think we handled the environment very well," Cowley head coach Todd Clark said.

Komor led Cowley with 18 points while going 4-of-7 from three-point range.

"Zuzanna gave us a spark, but we could not maintain it," Clark said.

Sophomore Anna Przyszlak added a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat.

Vera Ojenuwa led Barton with 22 points, while Vivian Onugha finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds as the Cougars out-rebounded Cowley 44-30.

The Lady Tigers will now prepare to host Garden City Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lady Broncbusters are 8-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference.

"Garden is really good," Clark said. "We have to shoot it better and play better on Saturday if we want to have a chance to win."

Box score:

Cowley (55): Destiny Yates 2-3 1-2 6, Ndack Mbengue 2-2 2-2 6, Anna Przyszlak 6-15 3-3 16, Hattie Pyle 0-10 2-4 2, Jaiden Smith 1-6 0-0 2, Zuzanna Komor 6-12 2-2 18, Georgia Knight 0-2 0-0 0, Aiyanna Big Man 2-3 0-0 5. Totals: 19-53 10-13 55.

Barton (67): Grace John 0-4 2-2 2, Quezia Bertoni 2-5 1-4 7, Vivian Onugha 7-14 2-3 16, Vera Ojenuwa 10-17 2-3 22, Tatum Boettjer 5-10 2-2 17, Emma Toombs 0-1 0-2 0, Bella Peterson 0-0 0-0 0, Macie Smith 1-5 0-0 3, McKenna Vogl 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 25-58 9-16 67.

Three-pointers: Cowley 7-24 (Komor 4-7, Przszlak 1-3, Yates 1-2, Big Man 1-2, Pyle 0-4, Smith 0-4, Knight 0-2), Barton 8-19 (Boettjer 5-9, Bertoni 2-4, Smith 1-4, John 0-1, Toombs 0-1). Rebounds: Cowley 30 (Przyszlak 10), Barton 44 (Onugha 14). Assists: Cowley 14 (Yates, Pyle 3), Barton 18 (Bertoni 6). Turnovers: Cowley 13, Barton 16. Total fouls: Cowley 16, Barton 13. Fouled out: none. Technicals: Mbengue.

Photo provided by James Dill