PEMBROKE – The 18^th-ranked UNC Pembroke began the day with 8-1/2 minute scoring drought, but shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, including a 68 percent success rate over the game's final 12 minutes, to fuel a convincing 84-63 victory over Georgia College on Saturday at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
It was the third-straight home victory for the Braves (17-4, 12-3 PBC) who have now captured 28 of their last 30 matchups in Pembroke. The setback marked the fourth loss in the last five road outings for the Bobcats (12-9, 7-8) who have come away empty on their last five trips to Robeson County.
 

THE BASICS

SCORE: No. 18 UNC Pembroke 85, Georgia College 62 RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 17-4, 12-3 PBC; Georgia College 12-9, 7-8 PBC LOCATION: Pembroke, N.C. (Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST HALF

The Braves missed their first nine attempts from the field and fell behind 12-2 after a jumper from Kohl Roberts at the 11:34 mark, but Spencer Levi's bucket on the ensuing possession signaled a run of 10-straight points by the hosts that knotted the score up just more than two minutes later. The Bobcats stretched their lead back out to eight points, 30-22, on Desmond Mitchell-Laflam's running jumper with 2:31 to play, but the Black & Gold scored 10 of the stanza's final 13 points to make it a 33-32 contest heading into the locker rooms.

2ND HALF

UNCP took its first lead of the game on Tyrell Kirk's 3-pointer just 13 seconds into the second half and never looked back. The hosts pushed their lead out to double digits, 56-46, on Cam Hamilton's 3-pointer at the 8:58 mark, and outscored Georgia College 21-5 in the game's final six minutes to provide the final. That surge was fueled by 8-for-10 shooting over the final seven minutes of regulation.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Senior James Murray-Boyles scored a game-high 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while also pulling down eight rebounds. His performance included a 55-foot buzzer-beater right before the half. + Starters David Strother and Akia Pruitt both chipped in 12 points apiece. Strother finished with four assists and a trio of rebounds as well. + Sophomore Spencer Levi came off the bench to register 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

NOTABLES

+ Saturday's triumph avenged UNCP's 75-68 setback at Georgia College earlier this season. + The Braves registered 16 steals on Saturday – the third-most for the club this season, and the fifth-straight game that UNCP has turned in 11 or more steals. + UNCP has now won six of the last seven matchups with Georgia College at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Saturday's triumph was the fifth-straight win over the Bobcats in Pembroke as well.

UP NEXT

The Braves will close out a short two-game home stand on Wednesday when they take on Augusta (16-5, 12-3 PBC) in the back half of a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

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JOIN THE BRAVES CLUB

Fans can help support the UNC Pembroke Men's Basketball program by joining the Braves Club. To find out more information about the Braves Club, visit UNCPBraves.com/BravesClub or email braves.club@uncp.edu.