BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team fell behind eighth-ranked Barton College in the second quarter, but the Tornado made a second-half run. King pulled back within five points in the final quarter after trailing by as many as 22 points in the first half. However, the Tornado couldn't complete the comeback, falling 77-69.
THE BASICS
FINAL: #8/8 Barton 77, King 69
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 12-11, 11-9 Conference Carolinas; Barton 24-1, 20-1 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- Ryleigh Fritz got her day off to a hot start with a triple before a Caroline Harville layup gave King an 8-7 lead in the opening minutes.
- A Jhayda McKinney jump shot started an 8-0 Tornado run in the middle of the period.
- A pair of Fritz free throws with 2:06 remaining in the period gave King a 17-11 lead.
- Barton scored the final 11 points of the period to take a 22-17 lead.
Second Period
- The Bulldogs kept the momentum going, scoring the first 11 points of the second quarter to take a 33-7 lead following the 22-0 run.
- Fritz then made the first Tornado field goal since the 2:42 mark of the first quarter when she knocked down a triple with 5:37 remaining until halftime.
- The King deficit grew to 42-23 before Fritz converted a three-point play, cutting the King deficit to 42-26 at the half.
- Fritz led the Tornado with 14 points at the break.
Third Period
- The King defense dug in, allowing Barton to only nine points and an 11.8 field goal percentage in the third quarter.
- Offensively, the Tornado scored 20 points, cutting their deficit to 51-44 going to the fourth period.
- King chipped away at their deficit in the early going, before using a 9-0 run down the stretch.
- Alexa Gramann and Trinity Lee made consecutive baskets to start the run.
- Free throws rom Gramman and Madison Worley end the run, pulling King within 48-44.
- However, Barton scored the final three points of the period.
Fourth Period
- The scoring picked up in the final stanza as both teams shot better than 50.0 percent.
- King shot 73.3 percent in the final 10 minutes but couldn't get even with the Bulldogs.
- A Desiree Bates jump shot pulled King within 58-53 two minutes into the period, but the Bulldogs answered with a basket.
- Each time the Tornado tried to start a run, the Bulldogs had and answer on the other end.
- Trailing by 12 with just over one minute remaining, the Tornado pressure paid off as King came up with a pair of steals and layups.
- King cut their deficit to six points twice, but Barton closed out the 77-69 win at the free throw line.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Fritz led the Tornado with 22 points and six rebounds.
- Brianna Dunbar followed with 13 points while Bates chipped in with 11 points.
FOR THE FOES
- Barton outrebounded King 49-28 as the Bulldogs grabbed 23 offensive rebounds.
- Jami Tham accounted for 15 rebounds to go along with 20 points.
- Shanika Peterkin led Barton with 27 points and added 13 rebounds and four blocks. She went 10-for-17 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line.
- Akira Wiggins chipped in with 18 points.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 22 points for Fritz sets a career-high, topping her previous best of 21.
UP NEXT
- King hosts Converse University on Tuesday night. Tipoff from the Student Center Complex is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
- Barton hosts UNC Pembroke on Tuesday night.
