Men's Basketball Battles No. 10 Barton to the Wire in 73–70 Road Loss

GREAT BEND, Kan. — The Colby Trojans men's basketball team delivered one of its grittiest performances of the season Tuesday (Nov. 25) night, going toe-to-toe with No. 10 Barton Community College before ultimately falling 73–70 on the road. The Trojans drop to 2–7 (0–3 KJCCC), but the competitive showing against a nationally ranked opponent marked a clear step forward.

Colby's bench was exceptional, outscoring Barton 44–29, and the Trojans shot a strong 37.9% from three while knocking down 21-of-26 at the free-throw line. The game featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes, with Colby holding an eight-point lead midway through the first half before the nationally ranked Cougars edged ahead late.

D.J. Cason turned in a standout performance, scoring 20 points on 4-of-9 shooting while going a perfect 9-for-9 at the line, adding four assists and two steals. Aliou Diallo provided a major spark off the bench with 15 points, including three three-pointers, while Kellan Simoneau contributed 14 points and hit three triples of his own. Nana Keutcha anchored the interior with 10 rebounds and six points, helping Colby stay within striking distance despite Barton's 39–30 advantage on the glass and 32–16 edge in points in the paint. Gabe Njenga added nine points and two assists, and Trey Allen chipped in three points, three steals, and three rebounds in valuable minutes off the bench.

Barton was led by Aris Rodriguez, who poured in 26 points, and the Cougars shot 40.7% from the field while converting 23 free throws.

Despite the loss, Colby's effort on the road against a Top-10 opponent made it one of the team's most complete performances of the season. Trojans are set to tipoff at 3 p.m. at the Colby Event Center, and thanks to NWKS Radio, admission for tomorrow's game is completely free.