Box Score
by Kevin Buczek with contributions from King sports information
BRISTOL, Tenn.-Junior Faith Hunter's potentially game-winning baseline jumper as time expired missed its mark for Barton College as King College pulled off a late 53-52 Conference Carolinas women's basketball comeback victory on Saturday evening.
The Lady Tornado (3-13 Overall, 3-5 Conf.) won its second straight league tilt by holding the Lady Bulldogs (10-6, 5-2) without a field goal for the final 5:18 of play. King finished the game on a 9-1 run over that span.
Freshman Alley Sprouse completed a three-point play with 49.9 seconds left to tie the score for the sixth and final time at 52-52. Sophomore Nyeshea Willie missed a 12-foot attempt on Barton's next possession and the Tornado gained possession. Junior Brooke Johnson drove the lane in the final seconds and was able to draw a fifth foul call on Barton junior Janae Jackson. Johnson missed the first free throw but then converted on backend with 5.0 seconds left. Senior Jannetta Robinson quickly got the ball down court for the Bulldogs and dished it off to Hunter, who was able to get off a highly contested shot that rattled errant as time expired.
Willie and Sprouse led their respective squads with 13 points apiece.
King shot 43.8% and dominated the glass by 10 at 41-31. BC was held to just 31.6% from the floor.
Johnson and junior Mikka Oliver each had 12 points for the Tornado. Sophomore Kelly Jackson yanked down a game-high nine rebounds for King and Johnson just missed a double-double with eight boards.
Junior Shante Neal netted 11 points for the Lady Bulldogs and swiped a game-high four steals. Hunter chipped in seven points and six rebounds. Jackson totaled six points and a team-high seven boards.
Barton – held to its second fewest points all season – is just 2-6 in games it has shot under 40%.
King jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the opening five minutes but the defending Conference Carolinas Tournament champions resiliently battled back quickly and retook the lead within two minutes of that point. The two teams jostled for the lead near halftime. Leading 25-24, King allowed seven of the final 11 points of the half to give Barton a 31-29 lead at the half.
The Tornado held 41-39 lead midway through the second half before Bulldogs raced ahead, 51-44, with a 12-3 rally. Neal nailed three shots for six points in the run including Barton's final hoop with 5:18 on the clock.
BC missed its final 10 shots over the last five minutes.
The Lady Bulldogs will try and bounce back as Barton concludes a three-game road swing at St. Andrews University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
