Dec. 16, 2011

Final Stats

WILSON, N.C. -- Gerald Boston had 25 points and eight assists while Keith Manley added 15 points and Jaren Haley 14 as Barton defeated Fayetteville State 90-70 at Wilson Gymnasium on Friday night.

Fayetteville State (2-5) was led by Anthony Shelton (Fr., Cary, N.C.), a previous CIAA Rookie of the Week who set a new career-high for points in a single game with 15. Tim Plummer (Sr., Apex, N.C.) added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Both teams were effective offensively in the first half, but Barton (8-2), the 2007 NCAA Division-II national champion, used a 22-8 spurt in the game's opening 5 minutes to take an advantage it held throughout the rest of the first half. Fayetteville State managed to trim the deficit to seven and eight points at different stages of the first period, but could get no closer.

Still, thanks to Plummer 14 points and Shelton's 11 points off the bench in the first 20 minutes, the Broncos were able to hang around and stay in the game. Fayetteville State shot 48 percent from the field in the first half, yet still trailed 47-36 at the break after the Bulldogs made a staggering 55 percent of their field goal attempts.

Barton opened the second half just as hot as it was in the first period, using an 11-2 run to take a 58-38 lead with 16:30 remaining.

Fayetteville State will next play at Bowie State in its CIAA opener on Jan. 5.