Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
BELMONT, N.C.-Barton College shot a season-best 58.1% and five Bulldogs scored in double figures to dismantle host Belmont Abbey College, 94-74, in the quarterfinals of the 2012 Conference Carolinas Men's Basketball Tournament on Tuesday night in the Wheeler Center.
Barton is the No. 3 seed from the East Division and advances to the semifinals with an 18-9 overall record. The Bulldogs will next play at East Division top seeded Queens University of Charlotte on Friday at 7 p.m. Belmont Abbey ended its season with a 15-12 overall ledger.
Junior guard Gerald Boston continued his stellar play with team-high totals of 23 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Jaren Haley sunk 16 points and made a game-high four steals.
The Bulldogs went on the road and took control early against the No. 2 seed from the West Division by swishing 22-of-35 shots at 62.9% accuracy in the first half. Barton led for most of opening period but the Crusaders only trailed by one, 28-27, with 6:32 left before the Bulldogs pulled out to a 15 point halftime advantage, 52-37, with a 24-10 run over the final six-plus minutes. Half of BC's points in the decisive run came on the three-ball as both Boston and Haley swished a pair of treys.
Barton kept at least a 14 point cushion throughout the second half and led by as many as 24.
Junior forward Keith Manley netted 14 points and pulled down six rebounds for the Bulldogs. Senior Aaron Suggs and junior Aaron Brown each chipped in 11 points. Junior Jon Hart added eight points and corralled a game-high nine boards.
Barton forced the Abbey into 12 of its 19 turnovers in the first half and the Crusaders were unable to recover as the hot-handed Bulldogs kept making shots in the second half at a 51.9% clip.
The Royal Blue and White is ranked second nationally in turnover margin and fifth in steals and stayed true to form with a +9.0 turnover margin and 12 steals against the Crusaders.
Belmont Abbey shot 41.0% and edged BC, 38-34, on the backboards.
Tyshawn Good led the hosts with 23 points, scoring nearly half of his points from the free throw line going 11-of-13 on the freebees. Jay Council totaled 15 points; Terrone Sheffey logged 13; and Darryl Durham delivered 10.
