The Cottey College Comets are number one...and number 20. Although it seems like a contradiction, the basketball Comets are indeed number one. They achieved their first-ever number one seed in the Region XVI postseason tournament with an 8-2 record against regional opponents this season. They are also the 20th ranked team in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll with their overall record of 15-5. It is the first time the Comets have been ranked in the Top 20 in their short ten-year history.

The Comets are led on offense by their two pre-season All-American candidates, second-year players Brittany Smith and Jessica Roberts. Those two are closely matched statistically. Smith averaged 16.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while Roberts tallied 16.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. First-year player Alex Noble also averaged double figures on offense with her 11.3 points per game.

One of the keys to the Comets’ success this season is their ability to play pressure defense throughout the entire game. Part of that ability to play defense is due to the excellent conditioning of the athletes; the other ingredient is having a deep bench to allow regular substitution to keep fresh legs on the court.

Cottey finished the first semester with a respectable 6-3 record. Once the holidays were over, however, the Comets caught fire. Before classes began, the team made their annual trip to St. Louis to face three regional opponents in one long weekend. Tipping off against Forest Park, Meramec, and Florissant Valley, the team came home winners of two out of three games, bookending a pair of victories around a loss to Meramec. The loss to Meramec would be their last loss for over a month as they won their next eight consecutive games.

After the road win against Flo Valley, the Comets found themselves in the friendly confines of Hinkhouse Gymnasium for a five-game stretch where they reeled off victories against Ozark Christian College, Baptist Bible College, regional opponent North Central Missouri College, Florissant Valley, and Meramec. (A game scheduled against the Missouri Valley College JV was cancelled due to an ice storm.)

Taking their 13-4 record on the road, the Comets traveled to Trenton, Missouri, to face North Central Missouri on its home court. Cottey had handed the Lady Pirates their only regional loss just two weeks earlier. With one regional loss each, this game would prove to be pivotal in which team might have the top seed in the postseason.

In the first half, the home team ran out to a commanding 35-43 lead after the first half. The Comets may have been down, but not out, as they pulled off one of the best second-half comebacks in team history. With a 47-point output in the final 20 minutes, the Comets came roaring back to grab their first lead with less than three minutes in the game. Cottey held on down the stretch and grabbed an 82-79 win. More important, they handed the Lady Pirates a second defeat in regional competition.

In the final home game of the season, the Comets easily defeated Forest Park and then hit the road for one final Region XVI match. Cottey had beaten Penn Valley back in December, but the Comets had never defeated the Lady Scouts on their home floor. It was not to be this evening either as Penn Valley pulled out the victory in the second half. Still, the Comets were able to secure the top seed with their 8-2 record in the region.

During the eight-game win streak, the Comets outscored their opponents 602-451, and had an average margin of victory of 19 points.