Wilson, NC - The Southern Wesleyan University Warriors were defeated by the Barton College Bulldogs in their first Conference Carolinas contest of the 2024-25 Season. 

The Warriors were led in scoring by Eric Hackett with 21 points followed by RJ Bell with 15 and Jamarras McCray with 14. McCray also had team highs in rebounds with 6 and blocks with 2, while Bell and Che Smith each had 4 assists. As a team, the Warriors shot 28-68 (41.2%) from the field, 9-28 (32.1%) from three, and 23-37 (62.2%) from the free-throw line. 



Game Vitals:

Final: Southern Wesleyan University 88, Barton College 98

Records: Southern Wesleyan University (1-4), Barton College (5-1)



How it Happened:

Head Coach Joel Stites opted for a bigger Starting Lineup in the Conference Opener, going with Che Smith, RJ Bell, Reco Hallmon, Christopher Osobaye, and Aaron Tims to open the game. After Tims missed a jumper on the team's first possession of the game and Barton scored on theirs, four different Warriors combined for seven points to grab an early lead. SWU had some success on the offensive glass during that opening run, with two of the buckets being in the second-chance department. Raheem Brizendine checked in at the 14:00 mark and hit a three on the next possession. The Warriors again created some first-half separation after a 6-0 run capped by a thunderous Jamarras McCray dunk at the 8:00 mark. The Bulldogs pushed back with a run of their own at the end of the first half scoring nine straight points over a 3:00 span. The last Warrior bucket of the opening period came from the hands of Eric Hackett, but Barton converted an old-fashioned three-point play to take a small lead into the locker room.

The Bulldogs also scored the first two buckets of the second half to increase their lead to seven shortly into it. With just under 16:00 to play, Smith and Bell hit threes on two out of three possessions to trim the Barton lead. Southern Wesleyan had one of their best shooting halves of the season in this second half, hitting six of their fourteen attempts from behind the arc. Smith tied the game up at the 10:00 mark with a pair of free throws after a stretch of scoring from Hackett and McCray. That duo was terrific off the bench for SWU in the contest, but Barton had a bench explosion of their own getting 5 double-digit scorers and winning in bench points 66-46. On the back of five straight points from Nygie Stroman, the Bulldogs extended their lead to double-digits with 5:30 to play. Hackett scored eight points in the final 4:30 of the game, but it wasn't heroic enough as Southern Wesleyan dropped it's Conference Carolinas Opener. 



What's Next:

The Warriors will remain on the road for their next two games, traveling to Belmont Abbey on Saturday, November 30th followed by a non-conference match-up at Georgia College on Wednesday, December 4th.