PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Barton men's basketball team (7-7, 3-4) couldn't hold off UNC Pembroke (9-4, 7-0) in an 83-77 setback Wednesday evening in a Conference Carolinas contest at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court and the English E. Jones Center.
The Braves, who won their eighth straight game and remained undefeated in league play, were led by Dallas Gardner's (Charlotte, N.C.) game-high 32 points.
Gardner connected on 15-of-18 free throw attempts while JaJuan Carr (Burgaw, N.C.) added 19 points for the Braves, who rallied from a 74-67 deficit with just over five minutes remaining for the victory.
Barton senior guard
Shawn Nelson (Miami, Fla.) led the visitors with 19 points and junior guard
Jaylen Faber (Columbia, S.C.) added 11 points off the bench but the Bulldogs scored just three points in the final five minutes in the setback.
UNC Pembroke finished the game on a 16-3 run and Carr hit a pair of free throws to break a 74-all tie around the two-minute mark in the triumph. The Braves were powered from the charity stripe – connecting on 33-of-40 (83 percent) attempts including 25-of-28 (89 percent) after halftime – in the win.
Barton next takes on league-foe Lees-McRae on Saturday at 4:00 p.m., in Banner Elk, N.C., while UNC Pembroke hosts King Saturday beginning at 4:00 p.m., as well.
