Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
BELMONT, N.C.-Barton College shot 57-percent in the second half to rally from an eight-point halftime deficit and earn a 59-45 Conference Carolinas women's basketball victory over host Belmont Abbey College on Wednesday evening in the Wheeler Center.
Reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Week Nyeshea Willie scored a game-high 24 points to guide the Lady Bulldogs (8-4 Overall; 7-1 Conf.) to a third consecutive win. Willie, a junior guard from Virginia Beach, Va., had a hot hand going 10-for-17 from the floor including 3-of-4 from behind the arc.
Belmont Abbey (6-6, 5-3) turned 10 Barton first-half turnovers into 11 points to construct a 30-22 halftime advantage.
The Crusaders never trailed in the first half. After early ties of 2-2 and 4-4, a jumper by Candace Fox and a three-pointer by Kelsey Long put the Abbey ahead for the final 15 minutes. A jumper by Long with 50 seconds left gave Belmont Abbey its largest lead at 30-20 but a late hoop by Willie trimmed the halftime deficit to eight.
Morgan Midkiff scored 12 of her team-high 17 points in the first half and Long tallied 10 of her 13 points in the opening period. Midkiff and Long each drained a pair of 3-pointers while Barton did not attempt a shot from three-point distance before the intermission.
The Lady Bulldogs raced out of the halftime locker room with the first 15 points. Junior Ashley Thornton ignited the rally with an opening trey before a two-pointer and free throw by Willie and a steal and layup by senior Elaine Morgan knotted the score. A Shante Neal basket lifted Barton to its first lead at 32-30 before Willie capped the outburst with a trifecta.
An old-fashion, three-point play by Long provided the Abbey with its last lead at 36-35. A couple minutes later the scoreboard was knotted for a fifth and final time at 39-all when Willie swished another 3-pointer to put the visitors ahead for the final 11 minutes. The three-ball started a decisive 16-0 run that also featured Willie's third trey.
Willie – ranked sixth in NCAA Division II in scoring – logged 16 of her 24 points in the second half. Neal totaled 18 points and her basket with 2:41 left extended the Lady Bulldogs lead to the largest of the game at 18 (59-41).
Barton controlled the backboards, 33-26, with Morgan capturing a game-high 10 rebounds. Morgan also handed out five assists and made four steals. Senior forward Janae Jackson chipped in eight points and seven rebounds.
Barton shot 50% (27-54) for the game including 4-of-7 (57.1%) from behind the arc in the second half. After committing 10 turnovers in the first half, the Lady Bulldogs protected the ball much better in the second period with only four more mistakes over the final 20 minutes. BC's defense stepped up holding the Crusaders to 37.5% (18-48) accuracy from the floor and forcing them into 19 turnovers that led to 27-12 advantage in points off turnovers.
All seven of the Lady Bulldogs league wins have been by double digits.
Barton will try for a season-best, four-game win streak on Saturday when the Lady Bulldogs entertain Converse College in Conference Carolinas action at 2 p.m.
