by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-The Barton College women's basketball team will play the middle game of a season-long three game home stand when the Lady Bulldogs host Conference Carolinas foe King University during "Wilson County Schools Night" in Wilson Gymnasium on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Barton sports information will be providing Live Stats and Live Video for Saturday's contest.
Barton basketball fans can follow the Bulldogs throughout the season on www.BartonBulldogs.com and via social media including Twitter and Facebook.
Barton College Women's Basketball
Barton has lost four of its last five league games to slip to seventh place in the conference standings just past the halfway point of Conference Carolinas regular season play but can pass King with a win over the Tornado on Saturday. BC is 4-4 at home.
Senior guard Nyeshea Willie continues to lead the league in scoring for a second straight season with 23.8 points per game. The reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Week (second time this season) also leads the conference in free throw percentage (89.1%), ranks tied for third in steals (2.3) and fifth in assists (3.6).
Junior forward Brianna Thomas, who is tied for fourth in the league with 8.2 rebounds per game, is the only other Lady Bulldog averaging over 10 points per game (10.4). Guards Ashley Thornton and Tiffany Webster are both averaging 9.6 points. Thornton is the league's most accurate 3-point shooter (40.4%).
BC tops the conference in 3-point (32.1%) and free throw (75.6%) accuracy and commits the second fewest turnovers per game (16.7). However, the Lady Bulldogs struggle defensively allowing teams to shoot 41.1%, rank low in steals per game at 7.3 and grab the fewest defensive rebounds in the league.
Barton topped King, 84-76, in Bristol, Tenn., on Jan. 11 behind a career-high 39-point performance by Willie. The Tornado led with just under three minutes to go but the Bulldogs closed the game on a 13-2 run including a key 3-pointer by Thornton. Barton is 3-1 against King since the Tornado joined the league and has won three consecutive in the series.
King University Women's Basketball
King holds a half-game lead over Barton for sixth place in the conference standings despite a 69-64 road loss at Lees-McRae on Monday. The Tornado has traveled strong going 7-3 in away games.
Junior forward Bonnie Durrett is one of only two players in the league averaging a double-double with team-high marks of 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds. Freshman guard Sydney Harris (10.3), junior guard Chelsea Bowling (8.8) and sophomore guard Stephanie Brantley (7.3) follow in the scoring column for the Tornado.
King hits the backboards for a +6.8 rebounding margin (second in the conference) behind Durrett's league-leading rebounding average. The Tornado's post presence also includes 3.6 blocks per game, which also ranks second in the league.
Junior center Alley Sprouse – who averages 6.1 points per game and is third in the league with 1.6 blocks per game – led KU with a season-high 16 points in King's first game against Barton.
