WILSON, N.C. – The King University men's basketball team dropped another heartbreaker on Saturday, this time at Barton College. The Tornado erased a 19-point second-half deficit to even the score in the final 20 seconds. However, the Bulldogs made two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to defeat King 87-85.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Barton 87, King 85
LOCATION: Wilson Gymnasium; Wilson, N.C.
RECORDS: King 6-17, 5-11 Conference Carolinas; Barton 14-10, 12-5 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- A layup from Darron Howard, followed by triples from Henry Okoye and Howard gave King an 8-0 run and an 8-2 advantage three minutes into the contest.
- King held that lead until four straight Barton points evened the tally at 15.
- Barton took a 19-17 lead before Howard responded with back-to-back baskets for the Tornado.
- A Myles McCrary steal and layup gave King a 26-21 lead midway through the period.
- Barton went on a 9-0 run to take a 36-30 lead before an Amarius Beasley layup with three minutes remaining in the half.
- The Bulldogs later scored the final five points of the half to take a 41-34 lead at the break.
Second Half
- Barton extended the lead to double digits early in the half, and took their biggest lead of the game, 66-47 with 13 minutes remaining.
- Ziven Clark drilled a triple that started a 9-0 King run.
- Chad Dreswick added a free throw before another Clark triple. McCrary capped the run and pulled King within 68-60 with a layup.
- Barton stretched the lead back to 14 before another 9-0 King run.
- This time it was Howard with a layup and triple to start the spurt.
- Michael Mays then made back-to-back jump shots, pulling King within 74-67 with seven minutes remaining.
- The Tornado went on another run with three minutes remaining as Howard made a basket before getting a steal and feeding Josh Jackson for a layup.
- Jaylen Bernard followed with a steal and fed Howard for another layup before Bernard made a free throw to pull King within 83-82 with 52 seconds remaining.
- Mays then converted a three-point play with 16 seconds remaining, evening the score at 85.
- However, Barton's Marcus Boykin made two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to give Barton the 87-85 win as King's last attempt was off the mark.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mays led King with 27 points while Howard followed with 18.
- Brandon Lamberth added nine points and seven rebounds while McCrary chipped in with eight points and five rebounds.
- Okoye snared a team-high nine rebounds and added seven points.
FOR THE FOES
- Boykin led Barton with 31 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
- Trevon Spencer added 20 points while Doaven Hairston chipped in with 13 points and five rebounds.
- Reese McDonald added nine points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
UP NEXT
- King returns home to face rival Lees-McRae College on Monday night. Fans are encouraged to wear white for the 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
- Barton hosts Francis Marion University on Wednesday night.
