Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Sophomore Jolanda Mitchell (Raleigh, N.C.) recorded her first double-double of the season to lead No. 6 Southeast Region ranked Barton College to a 71-55 Conference Carolinas conquest of host Coker College on Friday afternoon at the Charlotte Bobcats' Time Warner Cable Arena.
Barton boasts a 19-2 overall record and a perfect 15-0 league ledger after winning its 13th consecutive game. The Lady Bulldogs have won 33 straight Conference Carolinas regular season games.
Mitchell and junior Jannetta Robinson (Willard, N.C.) deposited 14 points apiece for the Royal Blue and White. Mitchell pulled down a game and season best 13 rebounds to complete her double-double. Robinson corralled seven boards and the other four starters each seized six rebounds as Barton dominated the backboards 67-46.
The Lady Bulldogs struggled on the NBA rims shooting a season-low 27.5% (25-of-91) but were able to pull away on the Lady Cobras who shot 39.7% (23-of-58) by taking 33 more attempts. Barton grabbed a season-best 38 offensive boards that led to 28 second-chance points.
Senior Megan Thomas (Cresskill, N.J.) scored a game-high 16 points for Coker and junior Jasmine Alston (Sumter, S.C.) had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Janell Dunham (Bear, Del.) added eight points and seven rebounds for the Cobras.
Coker scored the contests first five points and held a narrow lead for nearly 11 minutes. A pair of made free throws by Mitchell gave Barton its first advantage at 19-18 with 9:01 on the clock. The Bulldogs closed the period on a 19-8 run that was capped by a Robinson steal and fastbreak layup in the final seconds as Barton went into the locker room with a 36-26 cushion.
The Lady Cobras (2-18, 2-12) scored the first four points of the final frame but a three-pointer and layup by sophomore Faith Hunter (Raleigh, N.C.) in a 22 second span pushed the Bulldogs advantage to 45-33. Barton maintained a double digit lead for the final 16 minutes, leading by as many as 20.
Hunter finished with seven points while classmate Janae Jackson (Fort Belvoir, Va.) netted eight.
The Bulldogs high pressure defense once again caused problems for opposing players forcing Coker into 27 turnovers with 19 steals. Freshman Nyeshea Willie (Virginia Beach, Va.) swiped the ball six times and sophomore Shante Neal (Spring Hope, N.C.) came up with five steals.
Willie – the reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Week – and Neal both added six points and six rebounds to their six steals. Junior Jamilla Johnson (Garner, N.C.) dished out a game-high five assists.
Barton will play its second straight game in the Queen City on Tuesday in a Conference Carolinas clash against Queens University of Charlotte starting at 5:30 p.m.
