Font Size: A A A

21 second-half points from Byron Carpenter led the Rams to a 75-63 victory over Cumberland on Senior Day, Saturday at the Dome Gymnasium.

Tim Hartin

February 23, 2013

Bluefield College senior center Byron Carpenter made sure to end his collegiate career on a high note Saturday afternoon, as he scored 21 second-half points to lead the Rams to victory, 75-63, over Cumberland on Senior Day.

The Rams honored Carpenter and fellow senior Pierre Walters prior to the game’s tip, recognizing the student-athletes and their contributions to the men’s basketball program.

Carpenter totaled 32 points on the night, ending his illustrious BC career with 1795 points – the second highest BC total on record dating back to the 2003-04 season.

Bluefield concludes its 2012-13 schedule with a 10-17 overall record and a 5-15 mark in Mid-South Conference action. Cumberland (Tenn.) falls to 9-19 overall, 5-14 MSC and concludes its slate on Monday against Cumberlands (Ky).

Carpenter led all scorers on the night, while teammates Kearsten Marion and Eric Swift added 12 and 10, respectively, in the winning effort. Carpenter was 9-for-11 at the free throw line and also added eight rebounds and four assists on the evening. Marion tallied eight assists on the afternoon.

The Bulldogs were led by Creshaun Holt’s 23 points, including a 7-for-8 performance on the free throw line. Lester Gude contributed 11 and Jerret Towns added 10 more. Charles Stewart and Towns tied Carpenter with the game high for rebounds, with eight.

The teams played to an eight-all tie through the first five minutes of game action, with a pair of three-pointers from Carpenter and Marion helping the Rams’ cause.

However, over the next several minutes, the Bulldogs found their stroke from deep and converted four-of-five three-point attempts. Gude and Towns made two threes apiece, while Towns also converted a lay in to give the Bulldogs a 22-10 advantage at the 11:54 mark.

Cumberland’s lead hovered around the 10-points until just over seven minutes remained in the opening half. Trailing by nine, the Rams rolled off a 9-2 run to pull within two, 28-26, with 5:29 on the clock.

Marion started the spurt with a three-pointer, while a pair of baskets by Walters and a bucket from Nesbit rounded out the run.

Cumberland stretched its lead to eight, but the Rams closed strong in the final minute of play. A Carpenter lay-in courtesy of Marion cut the lead to three, 38-35, at intermission.

The Rams opened quick in the second half, as a Swift three-pointer and a breakaway dunk from Devin Page put Bluefield ahead for the first time in the contest.

The battle then see-sawed back-and-forth, as the lead changed hands six times in the following four minutes of play.

BC held a lead under five points for several minutes, before pulling out to a double-digit advantage late in the ball game.

The Rams’ 12-4 stretch took place over six minutes of play, and gave the squad a 66-56 lead with under five minutes to play in regulation. Carpenter contributed five during the run, Nesbit four and Marion added another from long-distance.

Deflated and running out of steam with only eight players in uniform, the Bulldogs cut it down to single digits one more time before the Rams closed out the game over the final four minutes. Carpenter added six more points in the closing minutes en route to his 21 second-half points.

Carpenter concludes the year by averaging 22.74 points per game, the best of his career. He currently ranks second in the Mid-South Conference in scoring and fourth in the nation.

Comments: