Box Score by Benny Benton
WILSON, N.C. – The Barton College men's basketball team moved into sole possession of first place in Conference Carolinas on Friday night after claiming a 77-70 comeback victory at Wilson Gymnasium over visiting Limestone College.
With the win, the Bulldogs (14-5) improved to 9-2 in league play and moved a half-game ahead of idle King University at the top of the conference standings.
In order to reach that lofty perch, Barton first had to overcome a double-digit deficit for the second straight contest. Sophomore point guard Danny Shand led the BC rally by scoring 13 of his game-high 20 points in the final period.
Limestone guard Teron Wallace hit his first five 3-pointers of the night to help stake the Saints (6-13, 4-7) to a 12-point advantage midway through the first half, but his entire team went cold from beyond the arc in the second half, making just 2-of-14 (14 percent) from long range.
Barton cut a 12-point lead in half over the final three minutes of the first period on a jumper by Jake Veasley and four free throws from Dominique Byrd and Matt Woods.
The Saints took a seven-point cushion to intermission, 38-31, but the Bulldogs gradually chipped away at the lead over the first five minutes of the second half, eventually moving back in front at 46-44 on a 3-pointer by Shand with 15:22 left to play.
Barton led by five points with seven and a half minutes remaining, but Limestone stormed back in front on a layup by Brolin Floyd and consecutive baskets by Shaq Dance, the second one a layup with 4:46 left.
Limestone held its last lead of the night on a pair of free throws by Floyd with 3:29 to go before Barton moved back in front on a 3-pointer by junior Daniel Westbrook on its next possession.
After Justin Crowder missed a 3-pointer for the Saints, Byrd went to the foul line for Barton and made the first shot. He missed the second attempt, but R.J. Claypool produced a perfectly timed tip-in to put the Bulldogs up four, 68-64, with 2:41 to play.
Dance, who had 19 points for Limestone, drove the lane on the next possession, but his contested layup hit the front of the rim and bounced away. Byrd drew a foul on the other end and made both free throw attempts, putting Barton up 70-64 with 2:14 remaining.
Limestone cut the deficit to four on a jumper by Crowder, but Shand answered with a layup on the other end. The Saints then turned the ball over, leading to a fast-break layup for Claypool that put Barton in control up eight at 74-66 with 1:13 to play.
Claypool scored all nine of his points in the second-half rally for BC. Redshirt senior Ryan Canoy scored 14 points and added eight rebounds in the contest for the Bulldogs, and Byrd added nine points as well. Westbrook produced six rebounds, and Shand contributed six assists in addition to his 20 points.
Barton shot 55 percent in the second half (16 of 29) after making just 37 percent in the opening frame (12 of 32). The Bulldogs also held the Saints to 33 percent from the field in the final stanza (10 of 30) after giving up 43 percent in the first half (12 of 28).
In addition to the 19 points from Dance, Limestone also received 19 from Floyd, who added a team-high eight rebounds. Wallace, who had 15 points after just 10 minutes, finished the night with 17.
Both teams took good care of the basketball, as the Saints turned it over just nine times and the Bulldogs just four, the lowest total in at least five seasons.
The victory completed a season sweep by Barton over Limestone. The Bulldogs won 77-74 earlier this year in Gaffney, S.C.
The Bulldogs return to the court on Saturday afternoon when it hosts North Greenville University in a 4 p.m. contest.
