SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University men's basketball team fell 89-86 to Barton on Saturday afternoon inside the Weisiger Center.
With the loss the Valkyries drop to 6-8 overall and 4-5 in Conference Carolinas action this season. Meanwhile, Barton improves to 6-11 overall and 4-5 in Conference Carolinas play. Despite the loss,
Jordyn Surratt (Spartanburg, S.C.) became the first Valkyrie to make 15 free throws in a single game and attempt 16 free throws in a single game on Saturday afternoon.
Barton won the opening tip-off but turned the ball over on their first two possessions. Things did not fare much better for the Valkyries as they missed their first shot and turned the ball over on their opening two possessions. Trevur Smalls put the Bulldogs on the board with a layup at the 18:26 mark of the first half. Converse would have to wait another possession, when Surrat found
Tre Locklear (Boiling Springs, S.C.) for his first three-pointer of the game.
Locklear made the next two field goals for the Valkyries and gave Converse their first lead at 10-8 with 15:47 to play in the half. The two teams went back-and-forth over the next several minutes of game action, but a Surratt three-pointer gave the Valkyries a 15-12 edge going into the first media timeout.
Converse continued to put pressure on Barton and build upon their small advantage over the Bulldogs. With 9:33 to play,
Camden Edmonds (King, N.C.) hit a three pointer, giving Converse their largest lead of the half at 29-21. Barton quickly countered with a 7-0 run to eliminate the Valkyries small edge going into the under eight media timeout.
The two team went back-and-forth the rest of the half,
Ethan Brownell (Celina, Texas) scored the last four points of the period for either side. Converse went into the halftime break up 44-36, the Valkyries shot 41 percent from the field, 35 percent from three-point range and 100 percent from the free throw line.
Surratt scored on the first two possessions for the Valkyries to start out the second half. The Valkyries held a 10-point advantage but watched as Barton bounced back with a 10-0 run. With 13:54 to play in the half, the Bulldogs took the lead (54-52) on a tip in layup. Barton maintained their lead throughout the second half and even held an 11 point advantage on two different occasions late in the period.
Trailing 80-69 the Valkyries offense awoke from their slumber, using an 8-0 run that was caped off by a
Latavian Lawrence (Aiken, S.C.) three-pointer with 2:36 to play in the game. Converse kept the game within striking distance and with 10 seconds to go on the clock, Edmonds had a chance to tie the game at 86 but his shot rattled off the iron and into the hands of the Bulldogs.
Will Fowler (Duncan, S.C.) hit a half-court shot to end the game but it was not enough for the Valkyries. Converse was outscored 53-42 in the second half, the Valkyries shot 43 percent from the field, 27 percent from three-point range and 91 percent from the free throw line.
Stats:
Points: Surratt (28), Fowler (26), Locklear (16)
Rebounds: Surratt (11), Edmonds (4), Lawrence (4)
Assists: Fowler (7), Edmonds (3), Surratt (2)
Next Up:
The men's basketball team will travel to UNC Pembroke on Monday afternoon. Tip-off is slated for a 4:00 p.m. start in Pembroke, N.C.
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