Box Score by Cory Guinn
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Six different players score in double figures as the Barton College men's basketball team earned a 94-89 victory over Virginia State University on the final day of the 50th Annual Pickle Classic at University of Mount Olive.
Senior Jake Veasley led all scorers with a season-high 25 points on 7-for-13 shooting from floor and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Danny Shand continued to fill up the stat sheet for the Bulldogs, scoring 15 points to go along with eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals in 34 minutes of action.
Junior transfer R.J. Claypool totaled 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, while fellow junior Daniel Westbrook and seniors Ryan Canoy and Dominique Byrd scored 10 points apiece.
Barton (3-2) forced Virginia State (3-2) into 20 turnovers and held a 38-20 advantage in points in the paint. The Bulldogs shot 46.4 percent as a team and hit 39-of-52 free throw attempts (75 percent) while holding the Trojans to 41.2 shooting from the floor.
Claypool and Byrd scored the game's first four points for BC before Virginia State tied the game at 4-4 just minutes later as the two teams played tightly contests basketball in the early going.
Two free throws from Byrd gave Barton a 20-11 lead midway through the opening half as a tip-in from Westbrook put Bulldogs ahead by double-digits with 9:08 showing on the game clock. A three-pointer from junior transfer Tyler Thayer put BC ahead 40-25 at the half.
Westbrook opened the second half with a layup to extend the Bulldog lead to a 17-point edge, their largest of the game, as Barton never trailed in the contest. The Trojans cut the deficit to single digits with a three-pointer with just under three-minutes to play, but were unable to get closer than a five-point spread as BC five of its final six free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win.
Barton begins Conference Carolinas play on Tuesday, Nov. 24 when the Bulldogs travel to Bristol, Tenn. to take on King University at 7:30 p.m.
