BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men's basketball team dropped another heartbreaking game on free throws in the waning seconds. The Tornado held a 67-66 lead in the final 10 seconds before Barton College made two free throws with 4.7 seconds remaining to take the contest 69-68.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Barton 69, King 68
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 12-14, 9-13 Conference Carolinas; Barton 14-12, 12-10 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- Barton opened up a six-point lead, the largest of the game for either team, in the early going before leading 12-7 when an Isaiah Curry layup got the Tornado offense going.
- Desmond Davis followed with a triple that evened the tally at 12.
- Michael Mays followed with another trifecta that gave King a 15-12 lead.
- The Bulldogs then had the upper hand as the teams began to trade baskets before Brandon Lamberth and Mays converted consecutive baskets, including a Mays three-point play to take a 28-26 lead.
- Mays then made two free throws, giving King a 30-26 lead with 3:23 remaining until halftime.
- Barton answered with seven straight points, taking a 33-30 advantage before an MJ Foust dunk.
- Mays then beat the halftime buzzer with a triple that gave King a 35-34 lead at halftime.
Second Half
- The teams traded points in the early going of the second half before King used a 8-0 run to take a 51-45 lead following a Mays triple and fastbreak layup.
- The Bulldogs came back and pulled within 51-50, but a pair of Connor Jordan free throws and Curry layup stretch the Tornado lead back to 55-50 with 10 minutes remaining.
- King again led by six, at 58-52 following a Jaylen Bernard triple, and again at 60-54 after a J'Son Brooks layup.
- The Bulldogs scored five straight, but King responded with a pair of Curry free throws and a Mays trifecta, regaining a 66-60 lead with 3:25 remaining.
- A Barton triple and two free throws pulled the Bulldogs back to within 66-65 before two more free throws put Barton ahead 67-66.
- Curry made a layup, giving the 68-67 lead back to the Tornado with one minute remaining.
- With 4.7 seconds remaining, a foul was called near midcourt and the Bulldogs made both free throws to take a 69-68 lead.
- The Tornado had one last shot, but it was blocked as Barton escaped with the 69-68 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mays led King with 24 points going 5-for-6 from three-point range.
- Davis followed with 10 points while Curry added nine points and 11 rebounds.
- Foust chipped in with 10 rebounds and six points.
FOR THE FOES
- Donaven Hairston led four Barton scorers with 22 points.
- Marcus Boykin added 13 points and 13 rebounds while Malik Bryant scored 12 points.
- Trevon Spencer chipped in with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT
- King hosts Converse University on Tuesday night with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. from the Student Center Complex.
- Barton hosts ninth-ranked UNC Pembroke on Tuesday night.
