The 3rd ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team never trailed Wednesday night on the road by scoring the first five points and putting their foot on the gas for an 83-56 victory at Independence Community College.
Scoring 13 of the opening 15 points, Barton increased its margin to an eventual thirteen point halftime advantage before tacking on another fourteen point differential including a 9-2 close out stretch to win its sixth straight in the series and second consecutive at the ICC Field House.
Matching its season best nine straight wins, Barton remains atop the conference race at 12-1 and 18-1 on the season while Independence suffers its 18th straight loss sliding to 0-13 in league and 1-18 overall.
The Cougars return home for its next contest in hosting Pratt Community College on Hall of Fame Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. scheduled tip or twenty minutes following the conclusion of the inductee recognition ceremony taking place after the earlier women's game.
Ten Barton players reached the scoring column led by Ring Malith's 2-of-5 arch shooting for 16 points.
Myles Thompson added 13 points with Lajae Jones scoring 10 to round out the starting five's double digit scorers.
Doubling up the Pirates in bench production, Keandre Kindell scored 13 points with Brent Moss adding 9 as Amiri Ndayisaba led Barton plus-11 rebound advantage in pulling down 7 coming off the bench to match Jones' board total.
Mozae Downing-Rivers led the distributions on the evening with a game high six assists while adding nine points in his 25-minutes of court time.
Cory Curtis, Jr was the lone Pirate to reach double figures in scoring 15 points on 4-of-16 shooting as Keah Paljor finished with 9 points.
SERIES NOTES
- Barton has won the last 6 in the series
- Barton is 15-4 against the Pirates since the 2008-09 season
- Barton has won 6-of-the-last-7 in Independence
- Barton leads the series 7-3 in Independence
- Barton leads the overall series 23-15
Record Book Watch
Cooper Jackson
- 160 career steals *2nd most – 159 behind Eric Bush's 319 (1999-01)