Box Score
by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Second-seeded Barton College used suffocating defense to eliminate seventh-seeded Belmont Abbey College, 56-37, in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Conference Carolinas Tournament on Tuesday night in the Dog House.
The Lady Bulldogs shot 44.4% from the field and held the Crusaders to a dismal 29.8%. Barton also forced the Abbey into 21 turnovers with 10 steals as the Lady Bulldogs led wire-to-wire.
Barton (21-6 overall) – ranked No. 6 in the current NCAA Division II Southeast Region Top-10 Poll – will host either third-seeded Pfeiffer University or sixth-seeded Queens University of Charlotte in the semifinals on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Dog House. The Queens at Pfeiffer quarterfinal game is being played on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
Junior guard Nyeshea Willie, who entered postseason play leading the league in scoring, led the Bulldogs with 14 points. Classmate Ashley Thornton made four 3-pointers for 12 points and senior forward Shante Neal sank 11 points. Senior guard Elaine Morgan chipped in game-highs of seven rebounds and eight assists to go along with six points.
The hosts led from the onset with Neal netting the game's first points on a layup in the first minute. Barton held the Crusaders to just three made field goals in the first 10 minutes to jump out to a 22-8 lead at the midway point of the first half. The Lady Bulldogs maintained a double figure cushion for the final 30 minutes including a 34-18 advantage at halftime.
Willie scored 10 of her 14 points in the opening period and Neal totaled nine of her 11. Barton made 14-of-30 (46.7%) field goals in the first 20 minutes while holding the Abbey to an icy 6-of-21 (28.6%) including 0-for-5 from three-point distance. The Crusaders also committed 14 of their 21 mistakes before the intermission to fall behind by 16.
"Defensively, we had a very good game," said Barton veteran head coach Wendee Saintsing. "We held them to 18 points at halftime with five offensive rebounds, which really hurt us [Eight of the Abbey's 18 points came on second chance opportunities]. Other than that, I thought it was an outstanding effort defensively both in the first half and in the second half. Are offense kind of broke down in the second half and we shot the ball alright but we were not getting the shots we really wanted to take. We will need to sharpen that up."
Barton's bench played 44 of a possible 100 minutes in the second half without letting Belmont Abbey to get any closer than 16 points. A fast break layup by Willie at the 6:35 mark extended the BC's lead to the largest of the game of 53-30.
Nine different Lady Bulldogs came up with a theft against the Crusaders as Barton dominated transition points, 10-2.
Barton extended its win streak against Belmont Abbey (12-15 Overall) to a dozen in a row.
Sophomore McKenzie Owen led the visitors with 14 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Morgan Midkiff added 10 points and five boards. Junior Candace Fox tallied a team-high four assists and a game-high three steals.
Barton has five consecutive 20 win seasons and is attempting to advance to the Conference Carolinas championship game for a third successive year as well as earning a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Coach Saintsing concluded, "I am just glad to get a win through the first round and advance on…"
