Cottey Comets defeat NCMC, earn seventh consecutive win

The Cottey College Comets' home streak finally ended and they were on the road Tuesday evening to Trenton, Mo., where the Comets defeated North Central Missouri College 82-79. It was the seventh consecutive victory for the Comets.

The Lady Pirates were looking for revenge as the Comets had defeated NCMC by 13 points on Jan. 20, in front of a home crowd in Hinkhouse Gymnasium. In fact, North Central had the Comets under control in the first half as they built a 43-35 lead at the break.

Cottey was still getting its points in the opening frame. Jessica Roberts was 4-for-4 from 3-point range, and Brittany Smith had 11 first half points as well. The problem for the Comets was in slowing down North Central's Cassie Hunt and Bailey Owen, who had 12 and 13 points, respectively in the first half.

After the break, the Comets' pressure defense did a much better job of slowing down Hunt and Owen and held them to six and eight points, respectively in the second 20 minutes. North Central's Monica Wilson kept the home team in the hunt, however, as she hit four treys in the second half.

Cottey was able to pull out the victory with a 47-point final half. Roberts was held to a single 3-pointer in that half, but the Comets continued to get points from Smith, and Alex Noble -- who had been shut out in the first half -- added nine points in the second. Kindal Huett and Molly Frick were also contributors on offense, but a key stat is that the Comets did not miss a free throw all night long, going a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. Cottey also had 32 rebounds, 10 steals, and hit 50 percent (11-for-22) from behind the 3-point arc in one of their better offensive performances.

The leading scorer for the Comets was Smith with 23 points. Roberts added 15 points and three blocked shots, and guard Diamond Hurst had a great game with 12 points and six assists. Noble just missed double figures with nine points and eight rebounds.

The win raises the Comets' record to 14-4 on the year, and their record against Region XVI opponents to 7-1 with only two more games against regional competition. The final regular season home game for Cottey will be on Saturday, Feb. 7, when they face another regional team, St. Louis Community College-Forest Park. That game will tip off at 2 p.m., inside the friendly confines of Hinkhouse Gymnasium.