Box Score by Benny Benton
GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Barton College men's basketball team claimed a share of first place in Conference Carolinas on Saturday night with a 77-74 road victory at Limestone College.
The Bulldogs (10-4, 5-1) rallied from eight points down with eight minutes to go and four points with four minutes to play in earning their third straight road win and seventh victory overall in their last eight games. In doing so, BC moved into a three-way tie with King University and Lees-McRae College for the top spot in the league.
Barton committed just nine turnovers in the game, its second straight game in single-digits. It marked the first time that's happened in four seasons. It also made 18 of 20 shots from the free throw line (90 percent), its best effort there since an opening-round win in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Sophomore Danny Shand led the Bulldogs with 19 points, and senior Dominque Byrd posted a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Jake Veasley chipped in 13 points, and redshirt senior Ryan Canoy added 10 points in the win.
Limestone (5-10, 3-4) received a game-high 26 points from Shaq Dance, 17 points from Brolin Floyd and 12 from Teron Wallace. The Saints lost despite shooting 60 percent from the field in the contest (30 of 50), including a torrid 69 percent in the first half.
The Saints led 65-57 after a Wallace 3-pointer with 8:20 left, but Barton used an offensive put-back by Byrd, two free throws by Shand, a layup by Veasley and a 3-pointer by Matt Woods to make up a 9-2 run that cut the deficit to one at 67-66 with 4:48 left.
A layup by Macoumba Kane and a free throw by Dance moved Limestone back in front by four at 70-66 with 3:57 to play, but two free throws each by Shand and Canoy tied the game at 70 with 2:41 remaining.
Despite its hot shooting night, Limestone missed four straight 3-pointers down the stretch, and Barton turned those misses into opportunities. Veasley converted a three-point play with 1:54 to go to put BC into the lead at 73-70, and Byrd followed a Limestone free throw with a layup to give Barton a 75-71 advantage with 1:03 left.
Wallace finally ended Limestone's streak of missed 3-pointers by draining an off-balance, fade-away shot with a man in his face with 31 seconds remaining. The Saints tried unsuccessfully to trap the Bulldogs on the ensuing possession and was forced to foul, and Veasley sank both attempts with 22 seconds remaining to give Barton the 77-74 advantage.
Limestone could not find an opening for a game-tying 3-pointer with Barton guarding that line, and eventually turned the ball over with seven seconds left, giving the Bulldogs a chance to run out the clock for the victory.
Barton shot 50 percent from the field in the second half (12 of 24) after a 37 percent effort in the opening frame (13 of 35). The Bulldogs made all 12 attempts from the line in the second half, and drained their last 14 overall in the contest.
BC forced 16 turnovers in the game and collected nine steals, three of those by Shand.
The game completed a four-game road swing for Barton. The Bulldogs will play at home for the first time in a month on Wednesday when they host Erskine College in a 7:30 p.m. matchup at Wilson Gymnasium.
