Box Score

JOHNSON, Vt. --- Thomas College shot 59.7 percent (40-of-67) from the field and senior Levi Barnes (Skowhegan, Maine / Skowhegan) and junior Tyheem Simon (Far Rockaway, N.Y. / Lawrence) combined for 60 points as the Terriers topped Johnson State, 95-74, in North Atlantic Conference men's basketball play Friday night.

Thomas (10-8, 6-5 NAC) went on an early 11-6 tear to open the game. Johnson State (5-13, 5-6 NAC) regrouped briefly and tied up the game at 11-11 and then again at 13-13 with 11 minutes to go. Thomas surged, closing the half ahead 42-32.

In the second half, the Badgers battled back and cut the visitor's lead to five, only to see the Terriers drive to the hoop time and time again.

Barnes - who had 22 points at halftime - finished the game with a season-high 36. He shot 14-of-18 from the field and 7-of-8 at the charity stripe while also pulling down four rebounds. Simon, who leads the NAC in field goal percentage, tallied 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Both misses came from behind the three-point line. He also converted three of six chances at the free-throw line and had seven rebounds.

Sophomore Carlos Gonzalez (Kennebunk, Maine / Lewiston), who entered the game averaging nearly a double-double, finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. 
Johnson State also finished with three players in double figures, led by Ben Holl with 23. Asim Khan added 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Demetrius Slade scored 12 off the bench.

Thomas finished with a 62-40 advantage in points in the paint.

Barnes' career point total jumped to 1,661 with his big outing. He currently sits in sixth place, just 28 points behind Scott Raymond (1,689 points; 1997-2001) for fifth place and 71 points shy of Andrew Duncanson (1,732 points; 2007-11) for second place.

The Terriers travel to Lyndon State on Saturday to face the Hornets in a 3 p.m. tipoff, while the Badgers host UMaine-Farmington. Lyndon defeated UMF, 78-50, on Friday night in Lyndonville, Vt.