Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
MORROW, Ga.-Senior guard Tia William scored 21 of her game-high 27 points in the second half including the go-ahead hoop with 74 seconds left as No. 9 USA TODAY Sports nationally ranked Limestone College rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat Barton College, 64-59, in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional hosted by Clayton State University at the Athletics & Fitness Center late Friday afternoon.
Barton led for over 32 consecutive minutes of game time before Limestone closed the game on a 19-7 run over the final six minutes. The second-seeded Saints, who had a 19-game win streak snapped in the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Tournament, improved to 26-3 and will play sixth-seed Pfeiffer University in the regional semifinals on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Falcons upset third-seeded Anderson University in the regionals first match-up Friday by a final score of 84-78.
Barton ends its fifth consecutive 20-win season at 21-8 overall. BC was making its third consecutive and sixth total appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The Lady Bulldogs were on the verge of advancing to the second round of the "Big Dance" for a third time in program history when senior forward Jolanda Mitchell drilled a 15-foot baseline jumper with 1:30 to go to give BC a 59-58 lead but Williams answered on the ensuing Saints possession with the go-ahead layup. Barton missed two shots before senior Stephanie Hayes made one of two free throws to give the designated hosts a 61-59 edge with 50.7 ticks. Senior forward Shante Neal had a good look at knotting the score for the Lady Bulldogs but her layup clanked off the front rim and Williams made two more free throws to double Limestone's cushion to four. After a couple desperation tries by Barton, Hayes extended the final margin of victory to five, 64-59, with one of two free throws with six-tenths of a second on the scoreboard.
"I thought we played very well," said Barton veteran head coach Wendee Saintsing. "I thought that we played 40 minutes of very good defense. They were able to score down the stretch and we had some problems scoring. Once again, you look at the stat sheet and we beat them in every area except final score. That has happened to us three times against Limestone. We just haven't been able to put them away."
Junior guard Nyeshea Willie led Barton with 20 points before fouling out with 1:36 left. The Conference Carolinas Player of the Year and Daktronics First Team All-Southeast Region selection scored 13 of her 20 points in the first half helping the Lady Bulldogs to lead for majority of the time. Senior center Janae Jackson and Neal joined Willie in double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Barton held Limestone to just 3-of-16 shooting over the first 10 minutes to build up an 18-7 lead midway through the first half. The Saints looked poised for a strong period with senior guard Maria Young drilling a three pointer on the game's first possession before Barton scored 18 of contests next 23 points. Junior Ashley Thornton answered Young with a trey in the right corner before Limestone took its last lead of the half, 5-3, on a transition layup by Williams.
Willie canned a three-pointer on the right wing to put the Lady Bulldogs ahead for the final 16:45 of the half. The Lady Bulldogs run was aided by two steals by Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year Elaine Morgan that set up a pair of fast break lay-ins by Mitchell and Willie. Morgan capped a 10-2 run with her own layup that had the Royal Blue and White leading by 11 at 18-7.
The Saints cut the deficit to eight points on four occasions before pulling to within six, 27-21, late on a senior Danielle Dixon hoop but a pair of Willie free throws in the final seconds sent the Lady Bulldogs into the locker room leading by eight at 29-21. Willie led all players at the intermission with 13 points.
BC shot 33.3% in the first half and held Limestone to just 28.6%. The Lady Bulldogs had a 23-20 advantage on the backboards while committing three less turnovers, 11-8.
Barton pulled out to its largest lead of 13 points three times early in the second half on a trio of baskets by Jackson. A strong put-back by Jackson had the Bulldogs leading 42-29 with 13:47 to go before Limestone went on a 12-2 run to close the gap to one possession. The Saints comeback included eight points of senior Stephanie Hayes 19 total points. Williams capped the run with a made hoop as the shot clock expired to inch Limestone within three at 44-41.
A 6-0 outburst by the Lady Bulldogs temporarily kept the designated visitors ahead. Neal's runner off the backboard put BC in front 50-41 at the 7:46 mark just before Limestone fought back.
Williams scored 15 points in the final eight minutes as the Saints rallied with a game-ending 24-9 run including the go-ahead two-pointer. Williams tallied eight consecutive points to start the decisive stretch. Saintsing added, "I credit Tia [Williams] for stepping up and getting to the basket, playing hard and making baskets and stepped up to the line and made the opportunities she was given. Tia just made some tough shots. I think it all turned around when Tia got aggressive when she started to go to the basket against us. She is a senior and wanted to win and she did what was needed to get the team over the hump and win."
Limestone heated up late firing at 44.8% accuracy in the second half to finish the game shooting 36.8%. Barton cooled off slightly from the first half and shot 32.4% for the 40 minutes including just 2-of-9 (2-9) from three-point distance. The Saints only shot four free throws in the first half but they took advantage of 21 chances in the second half making 16 of them to finish the night shooting 72% (18-25) from the charity stripe. Barton took eight less attempts going 13-of-17 (76.5%).
"I thought we took a couple quick shots but they were good looks," explained Saintsing. "If they go in they would have been great shots, but when they miss they are considered quick shots so it could have gone either way. They were open looks."
Barton did finish with a 48-40 surplus on the backboards including 18 offensive rebounds that led to 12 second chance points. The Lady Bulldogs also led 9-0 in bench points and 16-9 in points off turnovers. Coach Saintsing expressed, "I thought we did a really good job on the boards."
Jackson and Willie led Barton with seven rebounds apiece while Neal and junior Cassandra Brown each corralled six.
Mitchell led BC's reserves with seven points. Willie and Morgan both handed out five assists.
