Box Score BELMONT, N.C.-Junior Daniel McClendon and senior Zach Faircloth both scored career-high point totals for the Bulldogs as the Barton College men's basketball team picked up a 101-97 shootout win against host Belmont Abbey College on Wednesday night in the Wheeler Center.
The Bulldogs broke a 50-50 halftime tie with the first five points of the second half and managed to hold onto the slim advantage throughout the final frame. The Crusaders pulled to within one possession three times in the final minute but Barton made 5 of 8 free throws in the last 31 seconds and senior forward Evan Shelton drew an Abbey charge call senior guard Chris Davis, who scored a team-high 20 points, in the final seconds to seal the Bulldogs victory.
Barton followed up a loss with a win for a fourth consecutive time to start the season evening its overall record to 4-4 while starting league play at 1-0. Belmont Abbey dipped to 3-6 overall and 0-2 in conference skirmishes.
McClendon led all players with 27 points and was a stellar 12 of 13 (92%) from the free throw line. Faircloth made four 3-pointers on his way to a career-best 22 points at Barton. Sophomore guard Chris Flemmings, who leads the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding, posted his second double-double with 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Both squads shot well in the fast-paced affair with Belmont Abbey firing slightly better at 49.3% (36 of 73) precision. Barton was coming off its worst shooting game of the season but found its tough making one less shot on the same number of attempts for 47.9% (35 of 73).
The Bulldogs finished with a +13 rebounding advantage, which was exactly Flemmings season-high rebounding total in the contest. Shelton flirted with a double-double of his own finishing with nine points and nine rebounds. BC had 20 total offensive boards that led to a 26-11 advantage on second-chance points.
Belmont Abbey led for most of the first half including its largest lead of eight points, 39-31, at the 5:32 mark before Barton closed the period on a 19-11 rally to knot the score, 50-50, at halftime. The comeback featured seven consecutive points by junior forward Khari Faison and a trio of three-pointers by McClendon, Flemmings and Faircloth.
A freshman guard Kendall Patterson hoop in the final minute capped the late retaliation that leveled the score for the sixth and final time. Barton got most of its first-half offense late from its reserves. McClendon led the Bulldogs at the break with 11 points while Faison and Faircloth had nine and eight points, respectively.
The Abbey shot over 50% in the first making 21 of 41 shots. The senior duo of forward Darryl Durham and Ryan Conrad led the hot-handed Crusaders. Durham made 6 of 7 shots to lead all players with 12 points at the intermission while Conrad made 3 of 7 three-pointers en route to 11 points.
Barton dominated the backboards in the first 20 minutes. Flemmings had nine rebounds as the Bulldogs held a 28-17 advantage on the glass.
A Flemmings three-pointer at the 15:54 mark provided BC with its largest lead of seven at 65-58. However, Conrad answered with his own trey 14 seconds later and the Crusaders stayed within two possessions of the Bulldogs for the final 15 minutes as the two teams traded points.
Five Abbey players reached double figures in scoring including Davis' team-high 20 points before fouling out on the late charge call drawn by Shelton. Durham and Conrad followed with 18 and 16, correspondingly. Drexler Clark tallied 14 points and Ray Chen scored all 11 of his points in the second half.
Each squad made 18 turnovers but Barton had more steals with 12 thefts including a game-high four swipes by Faircloth.
McClendon, Faircloth and Faison all reached double figures in reserve roles as Barton's bench outscored the Crusaders reserves 65-29.
Barton will host is first game since the opening weekend when the Bulldogs battle Erskine College in Conference Carolinas action in the Dog House on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
