FAYETTEVILLE – The visiting UNC Pembroke men's basketball team controlled a 10-point lead following the first half and capitalized on Fayetteville State's 20 turnovers to secure the 97-91 road victory on Thursday evening in the Capel Arena.

With the victory, the Braves (6-0) remain undefeated and mark the first time in 14 years (1999-00) that the squad has begun a season with six wins. The setback was the third loss of the season for Fayetteville State (3-3) as the Braves now hold a four-game winning streak in the series between the two schools.

Five Braves notched double-digit scoring as sophomore Quamain Rose led the way with the only Black and Gold double-double - 23 points and 11 rebounds - while fellow guard Alex Bradley knocked in 18 points. Junior Griffin Pittman registered 17 points and a trio of steals and assists, while freshman Keysheen Hinton logged a career-high 16 points and forward Ben Jacobs added 13 points. Big man Brandon Winford pulled down 11 boards, while Jacobs grabbed seven rebounds as well.

Fayetteville State's Tyrrel Tate scored a game-high 30 points to lead a quartet of Broncos in double figures. Joshua Dawson tallied 14 points amd snatched 11 rebounds for the team's only double-double, while Travis Marcus and Anthony Shelton both added 11 points for the Broncos.

UNCP, who was out-rebounded in the second half but finished the contest with 45 boards compared to 42 by the Broncos, was sluggish in the opening minutes of the game and found itself down by seven points until Winford posted the first points at the 17:11 mark. Rose delivered the first lead of the game for the Black and Gold with a tip-in, but Fayetteville State pulled ahead for the second time with less than 12 minutes remaining in the first stanza. 

Hinton drained UNCP's next nine-consecutive points with an arc shot, dunk, jumper and a pair of free throws to keep the Braves neck and neck with the Broncos, tie the game up at the 8:47 mark and hold the lead for the remainder of the contest with two extra shots by Jacobs.

The Braves, who carried a 17-point lead with less than 11 minutes in the game, connected on 28 shots from the charity stripe and captured 19 points off turnovers, as well as 36 points from the bench.

The Braves will return to the English E. Jones Center on Tuesday for a matchup against St. Andrews (1-4) with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.