Box Score WILSON-N.C.-Barton College senior Jamila Johnson (Garner, N.C.) and freshman Nyeshea Willie (Virginia Beach, Va.) both scored 13 points as the Lady Bulldogs remained the lone undefeated Conference Carolinas team by defeating Coker College 78-42 on Thursday evening in the Dog House.
The Lady Bulldogs led from coast-to-coast and shot 54.8-percent for the game. Barton (10-2 Overall; 6-0 Conf.) took over sole possession of first place in the league standings after Belmont Abbey College knocked off Queens University of Charlotte in double overtime Thursday.
The 42 points were the fewest allowed by Barton this season as the Bulldogs improved to 5-1 at home. The Royal Blue and White have won 24 consecutive Conference Carolinas regular season contests.
Barton forced Coker (2-10, 2-4) into 31 miscues with a season-best 22 steals. Johnson and Willie both swiped four.
Junior guard Jasmine Alston (Sumter, S.C.) bucketed a game-high 16 points for Coker while freshman teammate Ashley Thompson (Columbia, S.C.) had game-high honors with 10 boards.
Sophomore Shante Neal (Spring Hope, N.C.) followed Johnson and Willie in the scorebook with 11 points. Senior Kelsey Sill (Raleigh, N.C.) netted 10 and the sophomore tandem of Janae Jackson (Fort Belvoir, Va.) and Faith Hunter (Raleigh, N.C.) chipped in eight and seven points, respectively.
The Bulldogs dominated the battle of the boards, 38-26, with sophomore Jolanda Mitchell (Raleigh, N.C.) crashing the glass for eight boards. Johnson just missed a double-double by dishing out a game-high eight assists.
Barton scored in the first 30 seconds and never looked back. Sophomore Janae Jackson (Fort Belvoir, Va.) made a steal on the opening possession that set up a Johnson fast-break layup on an assist from junior Jannetta Robinson (Willard, N.C.). The Bulldogs held Coker to just one made field goal in the first 6:41 to take a commanding 17-2 advantage.
Johnson scored nine of 13 points and dished out six of her eight assists in the first half as Barton increased its lead to 39-15 at halftime. The Bulldogs ended any thought of a comeback after the intermission with a 23-0 run to start the second half. A layup by Robinson at the 7:23 mark provided the Barton with its largest lead of 51 (74-23) before cruising to its largest margin of victory of the season at 36 points.
Barton will hit the road for a Conference Carolinas clash with Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C., on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Coker next visits Mount Olive College at the same time Saturday.
