Box Score by John Hackney
WILSON, N.C.-Junior point guard Gerald Boston scored a game-high 25 points and dished off 11 assists Saturday night to power the host Barton College men's basketball team to an 80-70 win over hot-shooting Erskine.
The Flying Fleet scorched the nets for 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from 3-point range, but it wasn't enough to derail the Bulldogs, who shot a torrid 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the floor.
Barton, which has won six of its last seven games, rose to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in Conference Carolinas play while Erskine left at 3-12 overall and 1-5 in the league. Barton plays at Pfeiffer University Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.
Boston hit 8-of-11 shots, including a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range, and added a game-high six steals. Defensively, he limited Casey Sorrell, the second-leading scorer in the league, to just nine points on 2-of-9 shooting.
Senior Jaren Haley scored 12, junior Jon Hart 11 and junior Keith Manley 10 for the Bulldogs. Manley hauled a team-high nine boards as Barton posted a 30-28 rebounding edge.
The Bulldogs also shot well from downtown, hitting 8-of-18 for 44.4 percent. Sophomore Zach Faircloth also came off the bench and accounted for eight key points.
Erskine's last lead came at 11-10 after a 3-pointer from Filip Pejovic at the 14:10 mark of the first half. Erskine hit 5-of-6 long-range attempts in the first half, but still trailed 41-33 at intermission since Boston was weaving through the Fleet defense for 13 points and six assists while notching four steals.
Brandon Bjerre cashed a three-ball with 13:13 left in the second half to close Erskine within 51-47, but that proved unlucky, as the Bulldogs blew the game the game open with an 11-0 run. Hart and junior Aaron Brown made jumpers and Boston buried a couple of threes in the decisive run. The lead grew to its largest at 65-50 on two free throws by Hart with 8:57 left then Barton coasted to victory. Seven points was as close as the Fleet could climb in the waning moments.
Pejovic led Erskine with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He was a sensational 5-of-7 from 3-point land. Brandon Quarles tallied 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists and Mike Gabbard recorded 10 points and five assists.
