COLUMBUS, Ga. – Columbus State shot nearly 52 percent from the field in the second half, and used a 13-2 run late in the second half to turn back the visiting UNC Pembroke men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon in the Frank G. Lumpkin Center.
The setback snapped a four-game win streak for the Braves (10-4, 3-2 PBC) who also had their three-game series win streak snapped as well. It was the third-straight win for the Cougars (8-5, 3-2) who improved to 16-4 all-time against the Braves in Columbus.
| THE BASICS |
SCORE: Columbus State 84, UNCP 79
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 10-4, 4-2 PBC; Columbus State (8-5, 3-2 PBC)
LOCATION: Columbus, Ga. (Frank G. Lumpkin Center) |
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| HOW IT HAPPENED |
| 1ST HALF |
| The first half featured six lead changes and eight tie scores, but David Strother's 3-pointer with 4:17 left before the break sparked the Braves on a 10-0 scoring spurt that gave them a 39-31 advantage just more than a minute later. UNCP, which converted 18 of its 33 (.545) field goal attempts in the opening stanza, would eventually lug a 44-38 lead into the locker rooms. |
| 2ND HALF |
| The Black & Gold stretched its lead out to a dozen points, 54-42, just 2-1/2 minutes into the second half, but the Cougars came roaring back and tacked up 19 of the game's next 26 points to give the game its ninth tie score, 61-61, following a 3-pointer by Hunter Preston at the 11:07 mark. The Braves went up by three points, 73-70, on Akia Pruitt's free throw with four minutes left, but Hunter Preston's running jumper on the other end of the court signaled a game-changing 12-1 run by the hosts that spanned much of the next three minutes. Turnovers on three-straight possessions by the Black & Gold fueled the run. |
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| INSIDE THE BOX SCORE |
+ Sophomore Jordan Ratliffe turned in a team-best 14 points for the Braves, while also adding two rebounds on a pair of assists.
+ Senior Akia Pruitt notched his 24th career double-double (5th of season) with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
+ Junior David Strother scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and added two rebounds and a trio of assists.
+ Senior Carson Mounce tallied 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in just 17 minutes on the floor. |
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| NOTABLES |
+ UNCP was 29-of-56 (.518) from the floor on Saturday. It is the eighth time this season that the Braves have converted on at least half of their field goal attempts, and the sixth time in the last eight outings that they have accomplished that feat.
+ Saturday's setback snapped a four-game win streak for UNCP who had not tasted defeat since a 67-64 home loss to Georgia College on December 15. The result also stopped a three-game road win streak for the Black & Gold as well.
+ Akia Pruitt ran his career rebound total out to 882 and move into sole possession of second place on the Peach Belt Conference's all-time rebounding list. He needs just 32 more boards this season to move atop the list. |
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| UP NEXT |
| The Braves will open up a short two-game home stand on Wednesday when they return to Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court to take on Lander (10-3, 4-1 PBC) in the back half of a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader on campus. The Bearcats, who are led by former UNCP associate head coach Drew Richards, tallied their 10th win of the season with a 20-point victory at Francis Marion on Saturday. |
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| STAY CONNECTED |
| Follow UNCP Men's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" UNCP Men's Basketball on Facebook. |
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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. |
