Box Score by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Sophomore guard Chris Flemmings scored a career-high 28 points and posted his third double-double in leading the Barton College men's basketball team to a 87-68 thumping of visiting Virginia State University on Wednesday evening in the Dog House.
Flemmings made four of the Bulldogs' 11 three-pointers while pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds as Barton snapped a three-game losing streak and will enter the New Year with a 5-7 overall record. VSU suffered its third consecutive setback in slipping to 7-4.
Barton had one of its best shooting performances, making 34 of 69 (49.3%), as the Bulldogs avenged an early-season two-point loss to VSU. The 87 points scored on the Trojans were the most by any opponent this season.
The Royal Blue and White had a strong paint presence, finishing with a 40-35 rebounding advantage and making a season-high eight blocks. Junior forward Khari Faison supplied 10 points and five rebounds while senior forward Evan Shelton tallied four points, six rebounds and three blocks. Flemmings joined Shelton with three swats.
Freshman guard Kendall Patterson kept the Bulldogs ahead late scoring 10 of his 13 points in the second half, including a huge three-point play with three minutes to go right after the Trojans pulled to within 11 points. Junior forward Ryan Canoy added eight points and senior Zach Faircloth sunk a pair of 3-pointers.
Barton never trailed and after trading hoops in the opening minute went on a 21-8 run to take a double-digit lead of 23-10 that it would not relinquish for the final 31 minutes. Canoy made a layup from under the basket to begin the surge that featured a pair of made 3-pointers and a dunk by Flemmings before being capped on a transition runner by senior guard Brian McNair, his first points of the season after joining the team earlier in the week.
The Bulldogs continued to lead by 13, 37-24, on a pair of made free throws by Flemmings before back-to-back 3-pointers by freshman Jordan Sharpe and McNair ignited another 12-2 run to put the hosts up 21 (47-26) at halftime.
Flemmings had 18 points and seven rebounds at the intermission. BC made seven of its 11 treys in the first 20 minutes.
Barton kept a comfortable lead for the first 12 minutes of the second half and maintained momentum on plays like a steal and outlet pass by Patterson that set up a fast-break, reverse dunk by Faison at the 15:25 mark. Flemmings eventually extended the Bulldogs cushion to 27 points, 75-48, with a layup as the clock ticked under eight minutes before Virginia State attempted an improbable comeback.
The Trojans held Barton scoreless for nearly the next five minutes and went on an ensuing 16-0 run to pull within 11 at 75-64. Junior Larry Savage scored the final four points of the VSU rally before Patterson ended the Bulldogs drought with his transition lay-up off the press break on an assist by McEachern. Patterson added two more made free throws on BC's next possession as the hosts closed the game with a 12-4 answer.
McEachern handed out a season-high eight helpers as Barton distributed the ball well with assists on 28 of its 34 made shots. McEachern also came up with a game-high four steals. Junior Daniel McClendon and sophomore DJ Carnegie each added four dimes.
Senior guard Christopher Grier was 7 of 10 from the field in scoring a team-high 20 points for VSU. Savaged finished with 13 points and junior Lamar Kearse was a third Trojan in double digits with 10 points.
Barton returns to action in 2014 with 14 consecutive Conference Carolinas clashes to end the regular season beginnings with a home tilt against North Greenville University on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
