FLORENCE, Ala. – The 12th-ranked UNC Pembroke football team recovered a fumble in the end zone to take a lead midway through the second quarter, but third-ranked and top-seeded North Alabama responded with 31 unanswered points to oust the Braves from the postseason, 41-17, on Saturday afternoon at Braly Stadium.

The setback snapped a six-game winning streak for the Braves (10-2) who registered the program's first-ever postseason win last weekend with a 24-21 triumph at No. 19 Valdosta State. The Lions (9-1), who came into the weekend boasting 20 previous appearances in the NCAA Playoffs, advance to next weekend's semifinal round where they will host sixth-seeded North Greenville.

Senior all-American B.J. Bunn tacked up his 10th career 100-yard receiving game, this time hauling in seven catches for 134 yards and a first quarter touchdown to pace the UNCP offense. Patrick O'Brien completed passes to 10 different receivers on the day and threw for 272 yards and one score on 27-of-47 passing with three interceptions.

Bikembe Kearney finished with a game-best seven tackles (4 solo) and one pass break-up to pace Code Black, while Christopher Ploch registered both an interception and a fumble recovery.

Harlon Hill Trophy candidate Jacob Tucker accounted for 336 yards of total offense for the Lions, throwing for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-27 passing, while also rushing for 53 yards and two additional scores on 16 carries. Dre Hall caught nine passes for 136 yards for UNA as well.

North Alabama was methodical with its opening drive of the game, mostly using the scrambling ability of Tucker to drive down to the 2-yard line, and then capping the 10-play, 80-yard drive on a 2-yard plunge by Damon Cox. After mustering just four yards on its opening drive, the Black & Gold answered on their ensuing possession, grabbing a handful of first downs to set themselves up near midfield, and then finishing off the 87-yard scoring drive on O'Brien's 44-yard touchdown pass to Bunn.

The Lions would use a career long 50-yard field goal by Kevin Henke to take a 10-7 lead a few minutes later, but the Braves responded with 10-straight points – a 24-yard field goal by Matt Davis and a fumble recovery in the end zone by Christopher Ploch seconds later – to take their first lead of the game.

North Alabama would grab the lead heading into the intermission, however, tying the game on a 9-yard scamper by Tucker, and then taking the lead on a 43-yard touchdown reception by Hall who climbed up the back of a UNCP defensive back to make the catch and then backpedaled into the end zone with just more than a minute left to play.

The Lions totaled more than 260 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers in the second half to fuel the lopsided final. North Alabama scored a touchdown on its opening possession of the second half, and then added a 44-yard field goal later in the period thanks to an ill-timed interception thrown by O'Brien in UNCP territory.

The hosts would add their final score of the game with 8:35 left to play on Tucker's 37-yard strike to Julius Jones.

Notes:

• The Braves will return 13 starters (7 offense, 6 defense) for the 2017 season, including quarterback Patrick O'Brien and four of five starters on the offensive line. The secondary will return largely intact, and two of three starters return at linebacker as well.
   
• UNC Pembroke's 10 victories this season set a new benchmark for the program, while its 10-2 (.833) record is the best mark (victories, winning percentage) for an NCAA playoff team in Pembroke. 
   
• The Braves will carry a 10-game home win streak into next season thanks to its second-straight 5-0 mark at Grace P. Johnson Stadium this season. UNCP strung together a program-best 13-straight home wins from Oct. 27, 2007 to Oct. 16, 2010.
   
• Harlon Hill candidate Matt Davis exits Pembroke as the NCAA's leader in career field goal percentage. Davis connected on 37 of his 44 field goal attempts at UNCP (84.1 percent) and broke a 36-year-old NCAA record formerly held by Clarion's Bill May who was 48-of-60 on field goal attempts from 1977-80.
   
• Senior all-American B.J. Bunn will exit Pembroke as the program's all-time leading receiver (3,072 yards), but also graduates holding seven other school records (2 career, 2 season, 3 game) as well.
   
• Senior Rontonio Stanley finished his time in the Black & Gold with 2,304 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on 468 career rushing attempts. All three marks rank second all-time in program history behind former all-American Travis Daniels. Stanley also racked up 672 receiving yards (72 Receptions) and one touchdown reception over the last four years as well.
   
• Linebacker Elijah Williams did not play today (leg injury), but still finished his collegiate career with 201 tackles. That tally ranks sixth all-time in program history. Four of UNCP's top 5 tacklers earned all-American honors during their time in Pembroke.
   
• Tra Chandler finishes his career in Pembroke as the only player in school history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns – both of which happened this season. Chandler's 98-yard kick return against West Virginia State is the second-longest in school history, while his 93-yard return against Kentucky Wesleyan ranks third all-time.