GREAT BEND, Kan. — No. 17 Barton (17-4, 11-4) jumped out to a 10-point advantage just 4:45 into Saturday night's contest.
Hutchinson (17-5, 11-5) scored just three points in the first 5:06 of play.
With 3:23 left in the first quarter, Bree Horyna hit her first of three triples. She started the game 3-3 from distance before finishing 3-6 with nine points.
Horyna, Natalie Payne and Ziya Simms started the game with Mya Williams and Journey Armstead.
Morgan Browning, Monae Duffy and Kali Howard had started every game since Nov. 16
Duffy scored 16 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to lead the Dragons. Browning added 13 points off the bench.
Williams scored 10 of her total 13 in the first half. Her turnover with eight seconds left in the game led to her fifth foul.
Hutchinson battled back from a 50-34 halftime deficit. With 13 seconds left, Morgan Meyers left the door open by going 1 of 2 from the charity stripe.
Down 77-74, John Ontjes called timeout to draw up a three-point play. The timeout allowed the Dragons to advance the ball into the front court.
Williams took the inbound pass to the high wing, where Meyers stripped the ball free and sealed the game.
FINAL: Barton 78 Hutchinson 74
Meyers finished with 22 points on 7 of 9 shooting, including 4 of 5 from three-ville. Oddly, she went just 4 of 7 unguarded at the charity stripe.
Four Barton starters finished in double figures: Meyers (22), Mikaela Hall (17), Cori Lard (15), and Jenny Nkem Womsi (12).
Nkem Womsi finished with a double-double, 12 points and 12 rebounds.
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