Box Score by Kevin Buczek
MURFREESBORO, N.C.-Sophomore forward Evan Shelton provided an instrumental block just before making a go-ahead free throw with 44.9 seconds left as the Barton College men's basketball team survived a late rally by Chowan University in an 84-81 road victory on Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs (7-2 overall) made 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute while holding the Hawks (4-5) scoreless on five consecutive possessions in the final two minutes to escape with the three-point victory.
Barton held a 14-point lead with twelve and a half minutes left but Chowan quickly closed the gap with a 12-0 run over the next three minutes. After swapping baskets for five minutes, a three-pointer by junior James Davis deadlocked the score for the first time since early in the contest at 74-74 heading into the final four minutes.
Sophomore Antonio Reddic then completed the comeback for the hosts as his steal and fast break dunk with 3:20 left gave the Hawks a two point edge. Chowan continued to lead 78-76 on a left-side layup by junior Quinton McDuffie.
Barton junior guard Gerald Boston deadlocked the score for the final time with two converted free throws. Chowan once again had a chance to regain the lead but Shelton swatted away the Hawks 15-foot jumper on the right wing before Barton earned possession of the ball. Shelton was fouled on the ensuing play and he made the front end of two free throws to put the Bulldogs back in front for good. Boston then came up with a big steal before swishing two more free throws to extend Barton's lead to three. Chowan missed a potential tying 3-pointer and junior Joseph Velez made two more free throws to push the visitors lead to five in the final 10 seconds. A late trey pulled the Hawks back within one possession but the Hawks were unable to make a steal on the final inbounds play and junior Jarrett Jernigan put away the game with a made free throw with three-tenths of a second showing on the scoreboard.
Boston led the Bulldogs with 18 points including a perfect 10-for-10 performance from the charity stripe. Boston also handed out seven assists and came up with three steals.
Jernigan tallied a season-best 13 points and Velez notched his first double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Senior Aaron Suggs bucketed points while Shelton, senior Jaren Haley, junior Keith Manley all chipped in nine points.
Reddic carried Chowan with 23 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and seven steals.
Barton built up an 11-point lead at halftime by dominating the backboards 33-12 in the first half. The Bulldogs took 15 more shots than the Hawks in the first 20 minutes with 20 offensive boards. Velez pulled down nine and Shelton corralled six by halftime.
Chowan pulled to within seven in the final minute but a pair of hoops by Jernigan in the final 20 seconds increased Barton's halftime lead to 46-35.
BC finished with a 49-27 rebounding dominance. The Hawks stayed in the game by shooting 54.1% from the floor including 10-of-20 (50%) from three-point distance. Barton shot 46% from the field but only 33.3% (5-of-15) from behind the arc. The Bulldogs were 21-of-31 (67.7%) on free throws while only committing 11 fouls as Chowan was 5-of-9 (55.6%).
Barton will have 10 days to prepare for its 2011 finale when the Bulldogs host Fayetteville State University on Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs defeated the Broncos 98-83 in the first meeting on Nov. 22.
