The first renewal of the Mount Olive-Barton friendly men's basketball rivalry this season lived up to its billing Wednesday night in Wilson, N.C. The lead changed hands seven times in the final five minutes, and all the effort came down to two Bulldog free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining to give Barton a 67-65 Conference Carolinas decision despite 19 points and 12 rebounds from the Trojans' Craig Hayes.

Dubbed "Battle of the East II," the game between the two arch-rivals served as a fund-raiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committees for both Mount Olive and Barton organized the fund-raising activities.

Mount Olive (8-6 overall, 1-3 Conference Carolinas) took command on a Mahamed Ibrahim three-pointer less than five minutes into the contest. The Trojans soon stretched the lead to eight behind the inside play of Hayes, who helped his squad dominate on the boards. Hayes not only finished with 12 rebounds, 10 of them came on the offensive end.

From the outside, Ewon Wright came off the bench for nine points, all from long range in just 13 minutes of the first half. Ibrahim added 10 points and a pair of bombs. But Barton (10-3, 2-1) refused to let Mount Olive pull away. The Bulldogs outscored the Trojans 11-3 from the free throw line and turned the ball over just three times in the first 20 minutes.

Mount Olive stretched its 40-35 halftime cushion to nine on Dory Hines' three-point play with 14:10 remaining. Then the Bulldogs came back. In a span of four minutes, Gerald Boston scored eight points, including a lay-up to put Barton in front 58-57 with 5:15 left.

Twice Hayes gave his team the lead again, once on a tip-in and another on a three-point play following a Hines offensive rebound with 3:11 left. A lay-up by Jordan McCain and a free throw by Hines gave Mount Olive its last lead of the game, 65-63, with 2:01 left.

Boston tied the game again with a jumper in the lane with 42 seconds remaining, then won a battle for the rebound following a Wright miss in the closing moments of regulation time. With Mount Olive over the limit on fouls, Boston was headed for the free throw line for two shots with 2.1 seconds remaining. Boston, who finished 9-of-10 from the charity stripe in the contest drained both shots.

A desperation shot from beyond mid-court by the Trojans came up short.

Inbrahim finished with 15 points for the Trojans, while Hines added 11, five rebounds and seven assists.

Boston finished with 23 points for Barton. Jaren Haley added 16 and Joseph Velez added 12.

The Trojans return to action Saturday afternoon when Lees-McRae travels to Kornegay Arena for a 4 p.m. start. The women's contest will begin at 2 p.m.