Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C.-Barton College held onto a single-digit lead throughout the second half wiggle past host Mount Olive College 54-50 in the annual "Battle of the East" showdown between the Conference Carolinas women's basketball perennial powers on Thursday evening in Kornegay Arena.
The Lady Bulldogs eighth consecutive victory moves Barton to 13-4 overall and 12-1 in the league. BC remains tied atop the conference standings with Limestone College after the Saints defeated Lees-McRae College, 69-43, at home Tuesday. The Trojans are 12-5 and 8-5 after suffering a second straight setback.
A pair of free throws by junior Jasmine McDonald pulled the hosts to within four points, 48-44, with 75 seconds left in regulation but senior Shante Neal converted on a pair of fastbreak layups off the Barton's press break down the stretch to seal the Lady Bulldogs' triumph.
Neal and senior guard Nyeshea Willie led Barton with 13 points apiece. Neal flirted with a double-double with a team-high eight rebounds. Senior point guard Elaine Morgan poured in 10 points and made a game-high five steals. Willie and Morgan each pulled down six boards and Willie handed out a game-high five assists.
Barton forced Mount Olive into 24 turnovers with 12 thefts. The Lady Bulldogs converted the Trojans 24 miscues into a 22-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
Barton led by as many as 13 points in the first half but Mount Olive heated up late to trim the halftime deficit to 32-29. A three-pointer by junior Ashley Thornton started the scoring for the Lady Bulldogs and the visitors never trailed in the opening period. A pair of made free throws by Willie capped a 20-7 run to start the game for BC's largest advantage. The Trojans scored the next six points to trim the score to 20-13. A trey by Willie at the 4:48 mark regained the Bulldogs cushion to double digits at 31-19 before the hosts closed the frame on a 10-1 rally.
MOC shot 46.4% in the first 20 minutes compared to just 31.6% by Barton. The Bulldogs did take 10 more shots than the Trojans after forcing Mount Olive into 11 turnovers.
Junior Kirksten Mitchell kept the Trojans within striking distance with 11 first-half points. Willie and Morgan led Barton at the intermission with 10 and eight points, respectively.
Mount Olive closed to within one point on a senior Tamara Nesmith jumper to start the second half but the Bulldogs stayed in front and held a two or three possession lead for most of the second half. Barton was unable to pull away by only shooting 24.1% in the second period and 28.4% for the contest. The Trojans also cooled off after the break firing at 28.6% accuracy in the second half for a final mark of 37.5%.
Senior Janae Jackson scored all seven of her points in the second half to aid in Barton's win.
Mitchell and McDonald paced the Trojans with 15 and12 points, respectively. McDonald recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. Nesmith chipped in 11 boards and eight points.
Barton continues its three-game road swing with a trip to Bristol, Tenn., for a Conference Carolinas clash at King College on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
