Box Score by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-Senior Ryan Canoy scored a career-high 17 points and sophomore Daniel Westbrook was just one point shy of his best mark with 15 points in leading the Barton College men's basketball team to a convincing 93-70 NCAA Division II victory over in-state rival Fayetteville State University on Thursday evening in Wilson Gymnasium.
Barton leveled its overall record to 5-5 and has a chance to move over .500 heading into the holiday break when the Bulldogs entertain Elizabeth City State University on Saturday at 7 p.m. BC is 3-1 in the Dog House.
Canoy scored his 17 points on 8 of 14 precision while contributing six rebounds and two blocks. Westbrook was 6 for 8 in route to his 15 points including a game-high three 3-pointers.
Barton avenged a 19-point road loss to FSU in November by playing a more disciplined game this time around. Barton committed 22 turnovers and were whistled for 10 more fouls than the Broncos (33-23) in the first meeting. However, the Bulldogs only made 13 mistakes and were called for one less foul (26-25) than Fayetteville State in the second encounter.
The Royal Blue and White had 14 players take the court and BC's bench outscored FSU's reserves 51 to 28 with 12 Bulldogs finding the scoring column.
Barton shot over 50% from the field for only the second time this season making 31 of 61 attempts for 50.8% accuracy.
Sophomore Kendall Patterson, who chipped in eight points, orchestrated BC's offense with a game-high six assists. Classmate Jordan Sharpe was only one of two Bulldogs not to score but he pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.
Barton overcame a sluggish start before coasting to the win.
The Broncos jumped out to a 12-0 lead just over two minutes into play but it took the Bulldogs less than six minutes to erase the deficit and tie the score at 18-18. Canoy scored on BC's ensuing possession and the victors stayed in front for the final 31-plus minutes. Canoy scored two more times helping increase the host's advantage to 26-19 at the midway point of the first. Barton ended up shooting 54.3% (19-35) in the first half to take a 51-33 lead at halftime.
Patterson (8 points), sophomore Nick Ellison (6), senior Khari Faison (4), freshman Jaime Johnson (3) and junior Matt Gaylord (3) all helped spark Barton to the 18-point cushion at the intermission scoring all of their points in the first 20 minutes. Junior DJ Carnegie added five of his six points and senior Daniel McClendon tallied four of his six points in the opening period as well.
Barton lead by double digits for most of the second half by making 16 of 23 free throws (69.6%) and then getting big contributions from starters freshman Danny Shand (12 points) and junior Jake Veasley (7), who scored all 19 of their points in the second half.
Fayetteville State pulled within nine points twice early in the second period but baskets by Westbrook and Canoy on Barton's ensuing two possessions kept the Broncos from ever getting any closer.
FSU trailed by 11 (78-67) with just under four and a half minutes left but BC scored the next 14 points to end any threat of a late comeback attempt. The clinching rally featured five points by Shand and two made treys by Westbrook.
The visitors only shot 38.5% (25-65) as Fayetteville State dropped to 6-4 overall. Carl McCray led the Broncos with 13 points.
