Box Score by John Hackney
GREENEVILLE, Tenn.-Despite leading for most of the game, the Barton College men's basketball team fell 84-78 on Friday night to Anderson University in the 2011-12 season opener, which was the first contest of the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge. The event also includes Mount Olive and host Tusculum.
Barton, which will play Tusculum at 4 p.m. Saturday, led 35-29 at halftime and did not surrender the lead until the 9:57 mark of the second half. The Bulldogs last lead came with just under seven minutes left.
Two free throws by Barton newcomer Zach Faircloth tied the score at 70-70 with 4:31 remaining, but the Trojans, formerly a member of Conference Carolinas, went on a 9-0 run in the next minute to take control. Barton pulled within four points twice in the last few minutes, but that was as close as the Bulldogs could get.
Barton was paced by 25 points from senior guard Jaren Haley, who was 11-of-30 from the floor, and 24 points from junior point guard Gerald Boston. The Bulldogs finished 38-of-80 from the field for 35 percent, which was 28 more shot attempts than the Trojans. However, Anderson outscored the Bulldogs 29-18 from the free-throw line and won the rebounding battle 45-43. Barton was a meager 4-of-25 from 3-point range.
Nick Trull poured in a game-high 30 points for the Trojans and Denzail Jones added 13 points. Anderson finished 25-for-52 for 48.1 percent and overcame a 24 turnovers. Barton had just 15 turnovers.
