Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Senior forward Jon Hart flirted with a double-double to help lead host and No. 24 NABC preseason nationally ranked Barton College to a 69-54 coast-to-coast victory over Wingate University in a marquee Southeast Region men's basketball matchup on Thursday night in the Dog House.
Barton made eight of its first 10 shots and never trailed. Hart scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half as the host Bulldogs constructed a double-digit halftime lead it would never relinquish.
Barton remained undefeated at 3-0 while Wingate – an NCAA Tournament participant in 2011-12 – departed at 1-2. Barton will play its fourth home game in eight days to start the season as the Bulldogs begin Conference Carolinas play on Saturday in a showdown with the Crusaders of North Greenville University at 7:30 p.m.
Preseason All-American Gerald Boston led Barton with 16 points including 7-of-8 free throws in the second half to preserve the win. The senior point guard also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Barton had its most balanced scoring of the early season with six players recording seven or more points. Junior guard Brian McNair bucketed 10 points, senior guard Jarrett Jernigan swished nine, senior guard Aaron Brown added eight and senior forward Keith Manley chipped in seven.
Wingate won an uncontested opening tip before Barton gained possession on a block by Hart. A pair of hoops by Boston and Hart on BC's first two possessions put the Royal Blue and White in front from the start. Barton maintained a 6-5 lead before using a 11-2 run that started with two consecutive baseline jumpers by Manley and was finished off with back-to-back dunks by Hart to take its first double figure lead of the night at 17-7.
The Barton Bulldogs maintained control and a last-minute 3-pointer by McNair sent the hosts into the locker room with a 14-point (39-25) halftime cushion. BC shot 54.2-percent (13-of-24) in the first half and held a Wingate program that is the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) preseason favorites to just 33.3% (10-of-30).
Both teams started the second half cold with Barton maintaining a 49-33 advantage at the midway point with each squad only making three field goals in the first 10 minutes of the final frame.
A pair of made free throws by freshman Xavier Griffin at the 8:23 mark pulled Wingate's deficit to 11 (50-39) but a trey by Boston less than 30 seconds later kept the moment in Barton's favor and the visitors would never get any closer.
Senior forward Odell Turner was one rebound shy of a double-double to pace Wingate with a team-high 13 points and a game-best nine boards. Griffin canned 11 points and senior guard Paidrick Matilus tallied eight points and six rebounds.
BC shot 41.5% for the game and Wingate fired at 36.5%. Wingate struggled from the free throw line only converted on 13-of-25 (52.0%) freebees compared to Barton depositing 22-of-29 (75.9%) from the charity stripe. Wingate narrowly edged Barton on the battle of the boards, 36-35, but committed eight more turnovers, 18-10.
Manley made three of Barton's nine steals while pulling down seven boards. Brown handed out four assists.
