Box Score by Benny Benton
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Barton College women's basketball team overcame a frigid second-half shooting performance from the field with an outstanding effort from the free throw line to edge host Carson-Newman, 70-66, Sunday on day two of the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge at Holt Fieldhouse.
The Lady Bulldogs (1-1) went nearly nine minutes of the second period without a point to watch a seven-point lead turn into a five-point deficit, but rallied by making 9-of-11 from the charity stripe in the game's final 2:30.
Barton shot just 19 percent from the field in the half (6 of 31), but Carson-Newman (1-1) wasn't much better, making just 8 of 24 (33 percent). However, the Lady Bulldogs were an outstanding 20 of 23 from the line in the game (87 percent), while the Lady Eagles were just 13 of 21 (62 percent).
Senior Nyeshea Willie, one of the nation's best free throw shooters a year ago, made all 11 of her attempts from the stripe in the game for the Lady Bulldogs and led all scorers with 23 points. She also collected 10 rebounds and handed out a team-high five assists.
Junior Brianna Thomas added 12 points and six rebounds for Barton, while senior Cassandra Brown contributed 11 points and eight boards. Freshman Tiffany Webster reached double-figures for the first time in her college career with 11 points, and also added six rebounds. Barton's fifth starter, senior Ashley Thornton, nearly reached double-figures as well, tossing in nine points.
Carson-Newman was paced by a career-high 15 points from junior Lashawnda Peacher, who also had seven rebounds and six assists. Freshman Kaitlyn Cupples added 11 points, and junior Whitney Kyle matched Peacher's seven boards.
With the score tied at 33-all in the first half, the Lady Eagles used a pair of free throws by Jassmine Franklin and consecutive layups by Kyle and Jai Jai McLaughlin to match its biggest lead of the contest, six points, at 39-33, with 4:11 left before intermission.
But Barton went on a 16-4 run to close out the half, with Willie sinking a pair of 3-pointers and scoring eight of her 19 first-half points during the spurt. Thornton also made a pair of 3-pointers in the run, which sent the Lady Bulldogs to the locker room with a six-point advantage, 49-43.
The Lady Bulldogs shot 47 percent from the field in the opening half (16 of 34), including 6 of 12 from beyond the arc.
Barton scored the first four points of the second half, taking its largest lead of the game, 53-43, on a Webster layup with 18:24 remaining. Carson-Newman cut the deficit to four, but a free throw by Thomas and another layup by Webster left the Lady Bulldogs still up seven at 58-51 with 11:40 to go.
However, Barton would still be stuck on 58 points nearly nine minutes later. The Lady Bulldogs missed 13 consecutive shots, including five on the same possession, and turned the ball over five times as well during the stretch.
The Lady Eagles gradually regained the lead and expanded it to as much as five points at 63-58 on a Franklin layup. The Lady Bulldogs finally ended their scoring drought with a pair of Thomas free throws with 2:53 to go, pulling to within three at 63-60.
Barton's defense then came up with consecutive steals, the first by Thomas resulting in a pair of Willie free throws, and the second by Thornton starting a fast break that resulted in a Brown layup, giving the Lady Bulldogs the lead back at 64-63 with 2:02 to play.
Taylor Peterson made one of two free throw attempts on Carson-Newman's next possession, tying the game at 64-all, but a Thomas putback with 1:29 left gave Barton the lead once more, 66-64. Barton then forced McLaughlin to take a tough field goal attempt with the shot-clock winding down, and Willie made two free throws on the ensuing possession to put Barton up four, 68-64, with 43 seconds to go.
Lacy Miller made a quick layup for Carson-Newman to cut the deficit to two, and Brown missed the second of her two free throw attempts with 16 seconds left, giving the Lady Eagles a chance to tie with a 3-pointer. Instead, Miller drove the left baseline and threw up a difficult shot underneath the basket which Thornton rebounded, and her free throw with seven seconds left iced the win for Barton.
The Lady Bulldogs out-rebounded Carson-Newman 44 to 39, and also collected nine steals in the contest, three by Thomas.
Barton will play Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C., on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and make its 2013-14 home debut on Saturday, hosting USC Aiken in a 2 p.m. contest at Wilson Gymnasium.
