Box Score by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C. – Senior guard Nyeshea Willie poured in 25 points, 17 of those in the first half, to lead Barton College in a 74-62 victory over nationally-ranked USC Aiken on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Gymnasium.
Willie, the 2012-13 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, also chipped in six assists, five rebounds and four steals for the Lady Bulldogs, who improved to 2-2 on the season.
Porsha Martin recorded a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers, who fell to 1-2 on the year.
USC Aiken, ranked No. 20 nationally in the preseason USA Today Sports Division II Coaches' Poll, held an early three-point lead at 16-13 following a Mariah Durian three-point play. However, Barton used a layup by Kaila Lea and five points from Willie to comprise a 7-0 run that put the Lady Bulldogs up by four, 20-16, with 7:22 left in the opening period.
Barton would never give up the lead again. Still holding its four-point margin at 24-20, the Lady Bulldogs went on a 12-2 spurt to take a double-digit lead for the first time in the contest, 34-22. Cassandra Brown scored three points during the run, Willie chipped in four, and Tiffany Webster recorded her only 3-pointer of the day.
Trailing by 11 at intermission, the Pacers stormed out of the gate to start the second half with an 8-0 run that cut the deficit to just three points, 38-35. USC Aiken scored by pounding the ball inside for four straight layups, two by Martin and one each by Tiffany Addison and Durian.
However, Willie made a basket on Barton's next possession, Amaura Brandt missed a 3-pointer for USC Aiken on the other end, and Ashley Thornton made a 3-pointer for the Lady Bulldogs to push the lead back to eight at 43-35. Brandt missed another 3-pointer on the Pacers' next possession, and Webster made two free throws to put Barton back up by 10.
USC Aiken got the deficit back into single digits one more time on its next possession, but Kaila Lea made a layup for the Lady Bulldogs that started a 16-2 run to put the game out of reach. Willie scored six points during the spurt, and Thornton sank a pair of 3-pointers.
Thornton made 4-of-5 from long range on the day, and recorded a total of 14 points on the afternoon. Freshman Caila Carter came off the bench to reach double-figures for the first time in her career, tossing in 11 points in 14 minutes of action.
USC Aiken's leading scorer, Mackenzie Reese, finished the day with 13 points, but most of those came late with the game already decided. Reese, the reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, was held to just four points in the first half.
Poor 3-point shooting hurt the Pacers. While USC Aiken made better than 50 percent of its two-point field goals, the Pacers were just 2-of-15 from behind the arc. USC Aiken also turned the ball over 19 times in the contest.
Barton was helped once again by strong free throw shooting. The Lady Bulldogs were 16-of-18 from the charity stripe (88.9 percent), including a perfect 10-of-10 in the second half.
The Lady Bulldogs will travel on Wednesday to face Elizabeth City State University in a 6 p.m. contest before returning home to meet Chowan on Saturday at 2 p.m.
