SPARTANBURG, S.C. –  Malcolm Morgan inbounded ball with 3 seconds left on the clock, Earl Burgess III saw his shot rattle off the iron, but both Morgan and CJ Jamison were there for the offensive rebound as Jamison's tip-in basket beat the buzzer and gave Converse a 68-67 win over Barton on Saturday evening inside the Weisiger Center.   

With the win the Valkyries improve to 14-7 overall and 7-5 in Conference Carolinas play. The win also snaps a four-game losing streak on Saturday afternoon's dating back to the first of the year. Barton Falls to 9-12 overall on the season and 6-5 in Conference Carolinas action this season.

Uzziah Dawkins once again led the Valkyries with 22-points against the Bulldogs. The senior guard also led the team with 8 rebounds in the win. Both Jamison and Burgess III ended the night with 13-points, while Jay Mitchell led the bench scoring with 9-points on the night.

First Half Notes:

• Barton won the opening tip-off and Donaven Hairston scored the opening points of the game less than 30-seconds in. The Bulldogs opened the game on a 7-0 run and forced Converse to use an early timeout.
• Coming out of the timeout break Joel Pullen found Burgess III for the Valkyries first points of the game.
• A few moments later and the Valkyries had cut the Bulldogs lead down to 9-6 following a Morgan made basket. Slowly but surly the Valkyries kept chipping away at the Bulldogs lead, finally at the 7:34 mark of the first half, Jamison tied the game at 15 with a three-point field goal.
• Moments later Dawkins hit a go-ahead three-pointer and the Valkyries had their first lead of the game at 20-17.
• The lead was short lived however, as Barton went on a 10-0 run to take the momentum back against the Valkyries.
• Converse only scored five more points the rest of the half, as Barton went into halftime with a 33-25 advantage.
• Converse shot 30 percent from the field, 15 percent from beyond the arch and 50 percent at the free throw line.

Second Half Notes:

• Coming out of the halftime break the Valkyries had first possession and Morgan found Joel Pullen for a three-pointer.
• Barton made their first two baskets of the second half and the Valkyries once again faced a 10-point deficit at 38-28.
• The Bulldogs led by as many as 13-points in the second half, before the Valkyries started to make a late push.
• With 7:06 to play in the game, Dawkins made a layup and the Valkyries had almost completed the comeback down 55-54.
• The 13-point deficit had been fully erased by the 3:15 mark of the half, when Morgan found Jamison for a game tying three pointer to make it 62 all.
• Burgess III gave Converse their first lead of the second half with 1:41 to play. Barton called timeout and tied the game at 64 on the following possession.
• Dawkins gave Converse the lead again with 1:11 left in regulation, but a foul on Hairston at the other end of the floor threatened the Valkyries lead.
• Hairston made one-of-two free throws and the Valkyries clung to a 66-65 advantage. Reese McDonald made a layup with 11 seconds to go to break the hearts of Valkyrie fans.
• Converse inbounded the ball and dribbled it across half court and called timeout with 3 seconds to play.
• Malcolm Morgan found Earl Burgess III on the inbound pass, Burgess III saw his shot rattle off the back iron but both Morgan and Jamison were there for the offensive rebound. Jamison tipped the ball in as time expired and the Valkyries won in dramatic fashion.  

Stat Leaders:
Points – Dawkins (22), Jamison (13), Burgess III (13)
Rebounds – Dawkins (8), Burgess III (7)
Assists – Pullen (4)

Next Up:
The men's basketball team will stay at home this week as they host Johnson & Wales on Wednesday evening inside the Weisiger Center.      

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