Onugha breaks three program records as Lady Cougars pull off another comeback against Colby #GoBarton

For the second time this season, the Barton Community College women's basketball team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Wednesday evening's comeback 48-45 win hosting Colby Community College.

The Cougars faced a 13-point deficit with 2:43 left in the third quarter and by eight headed to the fourth frame before taking just their second lead with 1:03 remaining by outscoring the Trojans 17-6 in the quarter for their 10th straight win of the series.

With two regular season games remaining, Barton controls its destiny for hosting a home playoff game improving to 10-12 in league play and 14-14 on the season. Colby drops two games back in ninth at 9-14, sliding to 14-15 overall.

The Cougars wind up the regular season slate with a pair of road contests, the first on Saturday in a 2:00 p.m. tip at Independence Community College followed by Wednesday's return trip to southeast Kansas for a 5:30 p.m. start at 18th ranked Coffeyville Community College.

Should Barton win atleast one of the two games, the Cougars would host a first round playoff game the ensuing Saturday.

In addition to the victory and playoff implications, Vivian Onugha continued her climb up the program record book etching her name at the top of three categories. The first record breaker came in the first quarter re-setting the single season offensive rebound total passing Inga Muciniece's 172 in the '07-08 season. Needing five total rebounds to take over another category, Onugha became the program's career rebound leader to again pass Muciniece's 754 total from her '06-08 two-year career. The assault on Muciniece's historic standards took another hit as Onugha's then-19th rebound of the game surpassed the '07-08 standard of single season total rebounds.

Honored before the game with the playing of her native Nigerian national anthem and following the game during Sophomore Recognition Night, Onugha's big night of accomplishments ended with 23 rebounds, 9 coming on the offensive glass, and 3 steals. On the downside of the stat line, Onugha's 17-straight double-double streak came to an end by finishing with just two points for her lowest output dating back to her 10th collegiate contest.

Both teams struggled to make shots combining for the second lowest combined total of their 82 meetings, Barton shooting a season second worst 22.6% and Colby shooting an opponent season low 20.3%.

Not having an off night was the play of Alaina Eck with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals while leading all players with 18 points including five pure charity tosses and 3-of-4 second half arc busters sparking the comeback.

Close behind was the 16-point and 6-rebound effort from Regina Donanu, none larger than her 16-foot jumper putting the Cougars ahead for good with 65 seconds remaining.

Trailing by eight mid-way through the final frame, the Cougars controlled the next five minutes while getting help from some missed Colby free throws, to rattle off eleven straight points kickstarted by an Eck trey followed by Brittany Simpson's lone triple. Eva Clements' pair of clutch free throws tied it up with 1:54 left, Donanu with the big jumper grabbing the lead, and Keyona Hall's 1-of-2 trip to the line capping the stretch.

Colby was led by Easha Potts' 10 points with 6 rebounds and Dessirae Ulmer's 8 points and 16 rebound effort.

Onugha's program record book impacts:
1st in Career Rebounds (772) – surpassed Inga Muciniece's 754 (2006-08)
1st in Season Offensive Rebounds (180) – surpassed Inga Muciniece's 172 (2007-08)
1st in Season Rebounds (458) – surpassed Jenny Nkem Womsi's 451 (2022-23) and Inga Muciniece's 453 (2007-08)
3rd in Season Defensive Rebounds (278) – surpassed Taylor Regan's 265 (2018-19), 3 behind Inga Muciniece's 281 (2006-08), and 50 behind Jenny Nkem Womsi's 328 (2022-23)
8th in Career Free Throw Attempts (289) – 5 from Taylor Regan's 294 (2017-19)
9th in Season Free Throw Attempts (172) – 2 from Netayna Jackson's 174 (2010-11)