WILSON, N.C. – The Barton men's basketball team (9-11, 6-4) made it three consecutive victories with a 97-92 triumph over Lees-McRae (12-7, 6-4) in a key Conference Carolinas contest Saturday afternoon at Wilson Gymnasium.
Barton senior guards
Reese McDonald (Raleigh, N.C.) and
Donaven Hairston (Atlanta, Ga.) combined for 54 points as the Bulldogs held off the Bobcats for the win.
McDonald tied for the game-high with 28 points to go along with seven assists and seven rebounds while Hairston added 26 points as the Bulldogs shot 52 percent (30-of-58) from the field and connected on 29-of-36 free throws (81 percent) in the win.
The Bobcats' Rodney Smith (Stone Mountain, Ga.) also scored 28 points while teammate Nico Ashley (Elizabethton, Tenn.) added 21 points including several on dunks but the visitors came up short.
Lees-McRae, losers of two straight contests, cut a 10-point second-half deficit to two points – 94-92 with 19 seconds left – but McDonald sank a pair of free throws to ice the contest. Barton senior forward
Trevon Spencer (Columbia, N.C.) added 18 points for the home team.
Barton does not play again until Saturday, February 3, when the Bulldogs travel to Spartanburg, S.C., to face Converse at 2:00 p.m., in a league contest while Lees-McRae hosts King on Tuesday beginning at 7:00 p.m.
