Box Score by Benny Benton
CENTRAL, S.C. – Junior Daniel Westbrook led five players in double-figures with 18 points as the Barton College men's basketball team snapped a three-game losing skid with a 93-78 road victory at Southern Wesleyan University Wednesday night.
Senior Dominique Byrd recorded his fifth double-double of the season for the Bulldogs (16-9, 11-6) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Junior R.J. Claypool and sophomore Danny Shand each added 15 points for the Royal Blue and White, while senior Jake Veasley chipped in 12 points.
Senior Kenny Holmes poured in a game-high 33 points and collected six rebounds in a losing cause for the Warriors, now 2-24 overall and 1-17 in league play.
Barton shot a season-high 58.5 percent from the field in the game (31 of 53), including better than 60 percent in the first half. The Bulldogs made 50 percent from 3-point range (9 of 18), matching its best percentage from long range this year as well.
Southern Wesleyan, meanwhile, shot just 36.8 percent from the floor (25 of 68), the second-lowest percentage of any Barton opponent this season. However, the Warriors were solid from the free throw line, making 23 of 29 (.793).
After turning the ball over 49 times in the past two games, the Bulldogs took better care of the basketball on Wednesday, making 15 turnovers. BC also enjoyed a plus-seven rebound margin in the contest.
Barton scored the game's first three points and never trailed in the contest. Southern Wesleyan did produce two ties, the final one at 14-all on a Holmes layup with exactly 12 minutes left in the opening period. But the Bulldogs scored the game's next five points – all by Claypool – and soon extended its lead to double-digits for the first time following a 3-pointer by Tyler Thayer and a jumper by Veasley.
A jumper by D.J. Dodson briefly pulled the Warriors back within eight, but Barton then went on a 13-2 run to take its biggest lead of the half, 19 points, at 39-20 with 4:37 remaining before intermission. Westbrook hit two of his four 3-pointers in the game during the spurt, and BC also got another 3-pointer from Thayer in the stretch.
Trailing by 17 with 2:24 left, Southern Wesleyan scored the final nine points of the period – seven of them by Holmes – to cut the halftime deficit to just eight, 45-37. That was still the margin one minute into the second stanza when Barton went on a 10-0 run to take a hefty 18-point cushion at 57-39 with 16 minutes to play.
But if the Bulldogs thought they could cruise from there, they were mistaken, for once more the Warriors fought their way back to single digits, climbing as close as seven points at 64-57 following a jumper by De'Quan Weldon with 10:57 to play.
Barton got a layup by Shand and forced a turnover, then Westbrook scored the game's next five points to put the Bulldogs back on firmer ground at 71-57. Southern Wesleyan would get as close as 11 with seven minutes remaining, but BC used a late run that included five straight points from Byrd to post its biggest lead of the night at 90-69 with two minutes left.
The win, coupled with a loss by Erskine College on Wednesday, moved Barton ever closer to sealing a top-four seed and a home game for the opening round of the league tournament. The Bulldogs now hold a two-game lead over the Fleet – who hold the No. 5 slot among eligible teams – with three games to play in the regular season.
Barton will play two of those last three games at home, including a 4 p.m. matchup on Saturday against Belmont Abbey College.
