by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – The Barton College women's basketball team vies for its second straight victory while the men's basketball team will be looking to rebound from a tough loss last weekend when the Bulldogs travel to Franklin Springs, Ga. on Saturday, Jan. 31, to take on Conference Carolinas foe Emmanuel College at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively.
Emmanuel sports information will provide live stats and video for both contests. Women's links: live stats l video Men's links: live stats l video
Barton basketball fans can follow the Bulldogs all season on www.BartonBulldogs.com and via social media including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Lady Bulldogs vs Emmanuel
After a 15-point victory over Converse College on Wednesday, the Lady Bulldogs (9-11, 8-5) will be looking for their second straight victory and fourth in the last five games.
The Lions are 13-5 overall and 9-5 in league play. Emmanuel is currently riding a two-game win streak with victories over Pfeiffer University and North Greenville.
Barton and Emmanuel squared off earlier this season on December 1 in Wilson with the Bulldogs needing overtime to secure an 85-76 victory over the Lions.
Emmanuel outrebounded Barton 48-35 in the contest, but Barton used a stingy defense to force 22 turnovers and hold the Lions to 38.2 percent shooting from the floor.
Senior Kaila Lea was Barton's leading scorer in the game, finishing with 19 points, while fellow senior Brianna Thomas totaled 16 points and seven rebounds from the forward position. Sophomore Tiffany Webster (15 points) and freshman Tatyana Jackson (11 points) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Lady Bulldogs, as Emmanuel forward Elise Coberly led all players with 23 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Emmanuel ranks first in the league in scoring defense, allowing 55.4 points per game to opposing teams. The Lion offense averages 67.6 points per game, led by Coberly with 14.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game and senior center Skye Rogers with 7.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per contest.
Lea leads Barton with 12.4 points per game and Webster averages 10 points per game as the team's only other double-digit scorer. Thomas follows close behind with 9.6 points of her own while leading the team with 6.8 rebounds, and sophomore Shatisha Duke has become a force in the paint, totaling 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, including a 16-point average over the last four games.
As a team, the Lady Bulldogs average 64.8 points per game, while allowing 63.4 points on the defensive end and ranking second in the conference with 10.6 steals per game.
Bulldogs vs Emmanuel
The Barton men's basketball team (12-8, 8-4) has won seven of its last ten contests, but a 100-81 loss to King University last weekend has the Bulldogs looking to get back on track against transitional league member Emmanuel College.
The Lions currently boast an 11-8 overall record with a 7-5 mark in league play, having won their last three games over Belmont Abbey, Pfeiffer and North Greenville.
Saturday's matchup will be the second of the season for the Lions and Bulldogs. Barton earned a 104-100 double overtime victory over Emmanuel on Dec. 1 in Wilson.
Barton shot 48.6 percent from the floor in the game and led by as many as 14 points early in the second half while holding Emmanuel to 15.4 percent shooting from three-point range.
In the early-season victory, junior Jake Veasley recorded a career-high 35 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman Danny Shand also totaled a career-high with 27 points and six assists. Emmanuel guard Michael Stanley led his team with 32 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in the loss.
Barton's offense continues to sit atop Conference Carolinas, scoring 87 points per game and pulling down 43 rebounds per game. In contrast, the Lions average 77.4 points on 47.1 percent shooting from the floor while giving up a league-low 65.8 points per game on the defensive end.
Once again, the Bulldogs will look to contain one of the top offensive weapons in the conference as Emmanuel dresses the fourth-leading league scorer in Stanley (17.3 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists).
Barton top scorers are Shand (17.2 points per game, 4.4 assists) and Veasley (16.1 points per game, 40.8 three-point percentage) who place fifth and seventh respectively in the individual points per game rankings within the conference.
Junior Dominique Byrd has been on a tear recently, averaging 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds over the team's last three games.
