Box Score by Kevin Buczek
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Sophomore guard Nyeshea Willie scored a season-high 26 points to lead Barton College to an 85-69 women's basketball victory over host Queens University of Charlotte in the Grady Cole Center Tuesday evening in the Conference Carolinas opener for both squads.
The Lady Bulldogs shot a season-best 50.8% en route to scoring a season-high 85 points. Barton – the defending Conference Carolinas regular season and tournament champions – improved to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the league. Barton will play the middle game of its three-game road conference swing in five days to begin the New Year at Coker College on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
The Royals (2-8, 0-1) kept things close early and found themselves deadlocked 36-36 at halftime by doubling up Barton, 26-13, on the glass in the first half. Sophomore Sarah Myatt led all players into the locker room with 15 points and six rebounds.
Myatt finished the contest with a double-double including 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Queens held a one point edge, 43-42, at the 15:45 mark of the second half on a layup by sophomore Melissa Thomas before Barton took the league for good on the ensuing possession. Senior guard Jannetta Robinson swished a jumper that resulted in the 14th and final lead change.
Robinson's bucket started an 8-0 run that was capped by a junior forward Shante Neal layup and made free throw as Barton remained in front for the final 15 minutes.
The Royals pulled to within two points a pair of times before Barton pulled away with a 13-3 surge to build a double figure cushion for the final eight minutes.
Willie scored her 26 points on 8-15 shooting from the floor and 9-11 accuracy from the free throw line. Neal followed with 15 points and five rebounds; Robinson canned 14 points; and juniors Faith Hunter and Jolanda Mitchell each poured in nine points.
Mitchell scored all nine of her points in the second half and junior Elaine Morgan added six points as the Lady Bulldogs reserves outscored the Royals reserves 15-2.
Thomas scored 18 points for Queens and made a game-high four steals. Sophomore Shonice Pettaway, who entered the week ranked second in the conference in scoring, was held to 11 points.
Barton forced Queens into 29 turnovers including 16 steals while only committing 15 mistakes. The Bulldogs were 1-3 from the charity stripe in the first half but then went 16-20 on the freebees in the final 20 minutes. Barton took over the backboards in the second half, 16-12, as The Royals finished with a 38-29 rebounding advantage.
