Tigers snap top-ranked Barton’s 35-game win streak with 74-71 road win

Out-scoring No. 1-ranked Barton Community College 19-2 on points off turnovers, the No. 19-ranked Cowley College men's basketball team handed the Cougars their first loss since the Tigers defeated Barton at home on November 29, 2023, in a 74-71 road win on Saturday in Great Bend, KS.

Cowley, winners of six games in a row, improves its record to 9-1 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference. Barton, the defending national champion, had its 35-game win streak end as they are now 8-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference.

The Tigers trailed by as many as six points (28-22) in the first half before going into halftime down 31-30.

"It took us a while to settle in," Cowley head coach Donnie Jackson said. "I thought both teams were feeling each other out in the first half."

Cowley sophomore Marcus Zeigler came alive over the final 20 minutes of play, scoring 19 of his career-high 24 points after halftime.

Clinging to a 65-63 lead, Zeigler drained a three-pointer to increase Cowley's lead to 68-63 with 1:24 left to play. Zeigler would then go 4-of-4 from the foul line over the final 23 seconds to help the Tigers come away with the three-point road win.

Trailing 74-68, Barton's Keandre Kindell hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, but it was not enough as the Cougars had their win streak come to an end.

"The second half turned into a slugfest, with both teams making mini runs," Jackson said. "We showed some toughness defensively down the stretch. Marcus Ziegler played an unbelievable second half offensively and made big shot after big shot."

Tiger sophomore Shamarrie Hugie added 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Marcus Whitlock Jr. chipped in with 15 points.

Kindell led Barton with 22 points. However, Cowley's bench out-scored Barton's 14-0.

Cowley will return home to play Fort Hays Tech Northwest (1-6) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The Mavericks are 0-4 in the conference, with three of the four losses coming by five points or less.

"Fort Hays Tech is a scrappy team with good guard play," Jackson said. "We will need to prepare for their best."

Box score:

Cowley (74): Shamarrie Hugie 6-18 7-8 19, Marcus Zeigler 8-16 4-4 24, Kyden Thompson 0-0 2-2 2, Marcus Whitlock Jr. 5-10 3-4 15, Austin Fortune 0-1 0-0 0, Emarquis Jones 2-4 1-2 5, Avante Nichols 1-2 2-4 5, Winston Allen 2-4 0-0 4, CJ Majors 0-1 0-0 0, Teagan Charles 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 24-56 19-24 74.

Barton (71): Keandre Kindell 7-17 4-4 22, Brent Moss 4-6 4-4 12, Aris Rodriguez 3-7 5-8 12, Sebastian Muchitsch 3-3 3-4 10, Modibo Sanogo 7-8 1-2 15, Fontaine Williams 0-4 0-0 0, Carter Coombs 0-1 0-0 0, James Parlow, Jr. 0-1 0-0 0, Lucas N'Gombo 0-0 0-0 0, Pavel Ivanov 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 24-47 17-22 71.

Three-pointers: Cowley 7-18 (Zeigler 4-9, Whitlock Jr. 2-4, Nichols 1-1, Hugie 0-4), Barton 6-19 (Kindell 4-9, Rodriguez 1-4, Muchitsch 1-1, Williams 0-4, Coombs 0-1). Rebounds: Cowley 31 (Hugie 11), Barton 30 (Muchitsch 8). Assists: Cowley 9 (Hugie 3), Barton 5 (Williams 2). Turnovers: Cowley 11, Barton 18. Total fouls: Cowley 18, Barton 15. Fouled out: Fortune, Muchitsch. Technicals: none.