BANNER ELK, NC--The defending NCAA Division II Men's Basketball
Champion Barton College Bulldogs paid a visit to Williams Gymnasium
Saturday afternoon to face the Lees-McRae College Bobcats, leaving
with a 102-72 victory. The Bulldogs improve to 11-4 (7-1
Conference Carolinas), while the Bobcats fall to 2-12 (1-7).
Starting four true freshmen and facing the defending national
champions, the Bobcats were in tough from the opening tip off. The
visitors jumped out to an early 11-4 lead, only to see the Bobcats
draw to within three, 19-16 by the midway point of the first.
Unfortunately the three point margin would be the closest the
Bobcats would get as the Bulldogs turned things up with a 15-2 run
to take firm control of the game with a commanding 32-18 lead and
cruising to halftime with a 54-33 lead.
The Bulldogs would continue their offensive onslaught in the
second half, their depth and experience shutting down the Bobcats
while also maintaining their torrid scoring pace. When all was
said and done the defending champions escaped with a thirty point
victory to move into a tie for first place in Conference
Carolinas.
Greg Mammel (San Antonio, TX) led the Bulldogs with a game high
24 points while Bobby Buffaloe (Fuquay-Varina, NC) added 21. Sam
Pounds (Bahama, NC) and LJ Dunn (Raleigh, NC) also scored in double
figures for the visitors, chipping in 13 and 12 respectively while
Brian Leggett (Alexandria, VA) pulled down a game high ten
rebounds.
Raysean Hairston (Elizabethtown, NC) paced the Bobcats with a
team high 14 points while senior Mario McClunie (Knoxville, TN)
added ten.
Up next, the Bobcats will hit the road for a pair of Conference
Carolinas games next week at Limestone and Coker on Thursday and
Saturday respectively.
PICTURED TOP and BOTTOM RIGHT: Raysean Hairston
PICTURED BOTTOM LEFT: Mario McClunie
BOX
SCORE
