Box Score GREAT BEND, Kan. -- Entering Saturday's contest against Barton, Dodge City reserve guard Mario Ponds was just 3-for-6 from the free-throw line in limited minutes.

However with the Conquistadors down to eight players dressed, the Wichita native was asked to step up.

And the freshman did just that.

Ponds was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final 21.5 seconds to hold off the Cougars after DC3 rallied from an eight-point, second-half deficit to win 74-71 on the road to move into fourth place in the KJCCC. It was also the Conqs' first win in Great Bend over Barton since 2008.

"Mario is a guy who knows his role on the team," DC3 coach Kyle Campbell said. "He played his butt off. But that's just who he is. He's a great kid ... and he was big time tonight."

The Conqs (18-7 overall, 9-5 KJCCC), who were without starting guard James Newton (injury), trailed the Cougars (17-9, 9-6) for the entire second half until Lorenzo Dillard sank a pair of free throws with less than three minutes remaining to make it 65-63 DC3. It was the Conqs' first advantage since leading 23-21.

The score was tied 67-67 when Jeremy Treaudo sank a 3-pointer with 1:05 left to make it 70-67. Barton answered with a basket by Ezekiel Charles with 37.1 seconds remaining.

After DC3 beat the Barton press, the Cougars fouled Ponds off the ball with 21.5 seconds remaining. He swished both to make it 72-69.

Again, Barton scored to cut the lead to one with 8.5 seconds remaining and fouled Ponds. He once again hit both free throws to put the Conqs up 74-71 and the Cougars' game-tying 3-pointer was off the mark.

The Conqs are a game behind Pratt for third place in the conference, two games behind Hutchinson for second and 2.5 games behind Neosho for first. They have also put themselves in a position to finish in the top eight (2.5 games ahead of three teams tied for eighth with five games remaining) and get a home game for the first round of the Region VI Tournament.

Jonathan Joseph led the Conqs with 17 points, including a trio of alley-oop dunks in the second half from Lorenzo Dillard. Joseph added seven rebounds as well.

Treaudo had 16 points, three assists and was 4-for-6 from 3-point range (the Conqs were 7-for-16 overall). Dillard had 12 points and 10 assists, Josh Boutte - who battled foul trouble in the first half - still finished with a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Ponds had eight points and Jamie Rutherford had seven points, six rebounds and three steals.

As a team, the Conqs - who never led by more than three in the game - shot 47.2 percent from the field and were 17-for-20 (85 percent) from the free-throw line.

Anthony Smith led Barton with 21 points as the Cougars actually shot better from the field at 49.1 percent (28-for-57), including going 8-for-16 from 3-point range. However, Barton was 7-for-14 from the free-throw line.

The Conqs return to action 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when they travel to play Garden City.