Great Bend, KS - The Neosho Community College women's basketball team had a twenty-two-point deficit Wednesday evening against Barton, but the Cougars clawed their way back in the fourth quarter to steal the 102-92 win over Neosho.
The loss sends the Panthers to the Christmas break with a 0-4 record in the conference and 5-6 on the season.
Neosho will have over a three week break from competition before opening up the second semester January 4th when they travel to Pratt to take on the Beavers.
Four Panthers reached double-figures on the night. Sophomore Chrissy Brown was on fire ending with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, just 2 assists shy from posting her first triple double. Hayley Stiger dropped a career high 21 points scoring 16 of those in the first quarter. Morgan Bolen added 13 points and 8 rebounds. Jessica Jones chipped in 12 points.
Early on it was all Neosho County as the Panthers strung stretches of twelve and eleven points to build a 26-6 advantage. Burying their sixth three-pointer of the first quarter with 2:31 to play, the Panthers pushed their lead out to its largest at 28-6. Neosho County shot 61.1% from the field in the opening ten minutes including 58.3% from long distance as the seventh one rang the bell with eight seconds remaining giving Neosho a 35-14 lead late in the first quarter.
Neosho struggled in shooting in the second quarter only shooting 3 for 14 from the field. Barton took advantage of that and outscored the Panthers 26-10 cutting Neosho's lead to 5 at half, 45-40.
As both teams lit up the scoreboard with twenty-eight points in the third period, Neosho went cold the fourth quarter and Barton went on a 8-0 run with which put the Cougars up by 3. Neosho answered with a trey by Chrissy Brown. Barton went on a 15-2 run in four minutes.
Neosho County drained two more long distance shots in the remaining two minutes, but then committed a few fouls sending Barton to the line and the Cougars went 9-10 at the stripe to seal the deal. Barton outscored Neosho in the fourth quarter 34-19.
Neosho will have just over three weeks before their next game as the Panthers will kick off 2020 traveling to Pratt on January 4th and then will host Garden City on January 8th. Both games set to tip at 5:30 p.m.
