MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Facing a team that has proven to be a force early on in the Southeast Region, Clayton State (2-2, 0-0 PBC) could not keep up with Barton (5-0, 0-0 CC) as they fell 97-63 in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Saturday, November 17.
 
Senior forward Jaylen Taylor (Hephzibah, Ga.) led the Lakers with 19 points on 9-of-17 shooting to go with five boards in 25 minutes while junior guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) came away with 14 points, three assists and a block. Freshman forward Ricardo Saams, Jr. (Miramar, Fla.) added seven points and five rebounds, four offensive and junior guard D'von Moore (Statesboro, Ga.) chipped in with nine points.
 
The game would be close early on as the teams battled through three lead changes and four ties, eventually deadlocking at 12-12 at the 13:17 mark. From there, however, things would take a decidedly Barton turn as they used a 25-6 explosion, including 13 straight points to kick it off, to take a 37-18 lead with 4:43 left in the half.
 
That run would be fueled by nine points from Isaiah Reddish and eight from Jake Kakar and would be a major factor in sending the Bulldogs to the break with a 51-29 margin minutes later.
 
It would not get any better in the final 20 minutes as a 9-2 burst to begin the second half put the Lakers down 60-31 just 2:28 into the frame. By the 12:02 mark BC had amassed a 41 point lead, 76-35, and Clayton State could only claw to within 30 points on a pair of occasions, the last at 82-52 with 7:07 left, before the Bulldogs closed out the 97-63 decision.
 
Zach Grant powered the Barton attack with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, and added five assists while Reddish just missed a double-double with 20 points and nine boards. Michael Boykin finished with 19 points, going a near perfect 8-of-9 from the field, and Blake Burdack had six points and nine caroms. Kakar chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds and Jeff Gordon had eight points.
 
The Lakers are now off for the next two weeks until they open Peach Belt Conference play at Flagler on December 1. Game time is set for approximately 3:30 p.m. following the women's contest.
 
NOTES
The game was the first meeting in program history between the clubs as well as each's final game in the 53^rd Annual Pickle Classic hosted by Mount Olive.