Box Score by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Three Lady Bulldogs scored in double figures as Barton College held off a relentless Saint Augustine's University squad en route to an 80-69 NCAA Division II non-conference women's basketball victory on Tuesday afternoon in the Dog House.
Senior guard Nyeshea Willie scored a season-high 28 points including four 3-pointers to go along with a game-high six assists and three steals. Junior forward Brianna Thomas registered her second double-double of the season with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds; freshman guard Tiffany Webster poured in a season-best 13 points; and senior forward Cassandra Brown flirted with her own double-double finishing with eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
Barton ended a two-game skid and will begin Conference Carolinas play after Thanksgiving with a 3-4 overall record. The Lady Bulldogs will begin league play at Belmont Abbey College on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m.
Saint Augustine's (2-3 overall) was held without a field goal for the first five minutes of play and was never able to recover. The Falcons were held to just 32.9% shooting while Barton fired at 46.6%.
The Lady Bulldogs scored the contests first six points including a pair of hoops by junior guard Kaila Lea. Barton stayed in front throughout play and led 8-1 before SAU finally made its first shot at the 14:44 mark on a three-pointer by freshman center Shakeisha Washington.
Washington kept the visitors within striking distance at 11-6 scoring the Falcons first six points but a trifecta by Webster gave Barton its first double-digit advantage a couple minutes later at 18-8. Webster hit a trio of treys in the first half before Willie made her first 3-pointer at the 4:58 mark to keep the Lady Bulldogs ahead by 10 at 34-24.
Saint Aug's scored the next six points to pull within four on a sophomore Lakiya Rouse layup but the Falcons would once again go cold missing their final five shots in the last two minutes. Barton closed the half with a 7-0 counter sparked by the Bulldogs fifth 3-pointer of the period, this time off the hand of junior guard Shadawn Clanton. BC then scored twice on the fast break by Thomas and Clanton to go into the midway break leading by 11 at 41-30. Willie assisted on both of Barton's late transition tallies.
Barton maintained a 10-plus point cushion for nearly the first 15 minutes of the second half and a Willie 3-pointer with 11:55 to go lifted the hosts to its largest lead of 16 at 56-40.
The Falcons shrunk the gap to nine points four occasions over the next four minutes before getting as close as seven in the final minute on a Rouse jumper. However, a pair of made free throws by Willie and freshman guard Brianna Hinton sandwiched around a Saint Aug's turnover in the final 30 seconds allowed Barton to complete the 11-point conquest.
BC made a season-high eight 3-pointers going a sizzling 8 of 16 (50%) from behind the arc. Saint Aug's averaged nearly six made 3-pointers per game coming into Tuesday's game but went just 1 of 9 (11.1%) from the perimeter.
Sophomore guard Terri Jacobs led Saint Augustine's with 14 points. Rouse added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Porscha Walton provided 10 points and junior guard Jeanne-Marie Wilson had a game-high four steals.
Barton distributed the ball well recording assists on 20 of its 27 made field goals including at least three assists by all five starters (Willie, Brown, Thomas, Webster and Lea).
