Box Score by Kevin Buczek
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.-The Barton College men's basketball team will head into the Thanksgiving break on a five-game win streak after earning an impressive 98-83 non-conference victory at Fayetteville State University on Tuesday night.
Barton will head into the mini-break boasting a 5-1 record. BC has won by an average of 20 points during its current five-game win streak.
The Bulldogs will have 10 days to prepare for the first annual 45-Second Classic hosted by Barton College in the Dog House on Dec. 2-3. Barton will play Saint Augustine's College on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Elizabeth City State University on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Five Bulldogs scored in double figures against the Broncos including a game-high 20 points by senior guard Aaron Suggs (Wilson, N.C.), who canned 4-of-5 attempts from three-point distance.
Suggs also handed out six assists in 27 minutes off the bench while fellow reserve junior forward Jon Hart (Mount Olive, N.C.) recorded his second straight double-double in the absence of injured senior R.D. Dowdy (Chapel Hill, N.C.). Hart hammered home 17 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.
Junior Gerald Boston (Burlington, N.C.) bucketed 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting accuracy, senior Jaren Haley (Woodbridge, Va.) scored half of his 16 points from the free throw line and junior Jarrett Jernigan (Virginia Beach, Va.) chipped in 10 points.
Fayetteville State (1-2) shot 60.7% in the first half but trailed by 13 points as the Broncos took 10 less shots than the Bulldogs because Barton forced FSU into 18 first half turnovers. Barton hit all six of its made 3-pointers in the first half including a quartet by Suggs to build up the double figure cushion at the intermission.
Haley scored 14 of his 16 points in the first 20 minutes to lead all players into the locker room as Barton led 58-45.
The Broncos pulled to within seven point four different times in the second half but clutch free throw shooting, timely baskets and clock control helped Barton finish off the victory while keeping at least a three possession advantage throughout the second half.
FSU closed the gap to 85-78 with 4:15 left but an old fashion three-point play by Hart followed by a steal and fastbreak layup by Suggs increased the Bulldogs lead to double figures for the final three and a half minutes.
Barton swished 30-of-42 (71.4%) tries from the free throw line to help sustain control. The Bulldogs fired at 47% precision from the floor and finished with a 35-34 rebounding edge.
Fayetteville State had four players reach the 10-plus point plateau including 13 from Michael Carpenter and 12 from both Anthony Shelton and Tyrrel Tate. John Herrington was a perfect 5-for-5 with 10 points before being ejected early in the second half.
