PEMBROKE – Visiting Flagler scored 32 points off of a season-high 24 turnovers by the UNC Pembroke men's basketball team and took advantage of free throw shooting in overtime to hand the Braves an 87-80 setback on Wednesday evening at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
The setback snapped a 12-game series win streak for the Braves (2-2, 2-1 PBC) who saw their first action in 10 days after having two games postponed last week due to COVID-19 protocols. The result marked the first victory in Pembroke for the Saints (6-2, 4-1) who improved to 1-11 all-time at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 

THE BASICS

SCORE: Flagler 87, UNC Pembroke 80 RECORDS: UNC Pembroke (2-2, 2-1 PBC); Flagler (6-2, 4-1 PBC) LOCATION: Pembroke, N.C. (Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST HALF

Both teams shot 15-for-29 (.517) from the floor in the opening half, but the Braves used a heavy advantage in the rebounding column (22-12) to take a slim lead into the intermission. Flagler led by five points, 29-24, following a 3-pointer from Derrick Ellis at the 7:27 mark, but 3-pointers by Jay Hicks on consecutive possessions swung the lead back to the Braves. A mild 5-0 run late in the period was enough to keep the Braves out in front heading into the locker rooms.

2ND HALF

The hosts canned nine of their first 11 shots of the second half and led 63-52 after a jumper from Trenton McIntyre at the 13:08 mark, but the Saints steadily chipped away at the deficit and eventually knotted the game up with just more than five minutes left following a fast-break layup by Jaizec Lottie. McIntyre's 3-pointer gave the Braves a 77-75 advantage with 46 seconds left, but Chris Metzger's layup on the other end of the court gave the game its 14th tie score. The hosts had a chance to win the game in regulation, but McIntyre missed both ends of a two-shot foul, and Flagler missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer on the other end to send the game into extra time.

OVERTIME

Spencer Levi gave the Braves a short-lived lead, 79-78, when he hit the front end of a two-shot foul at the 3:20 mark, but UNCP went cold after that. The Black & Gold missed its final five field goal attempts of the evening, while also going 1-for-4 from the charity stripe in overtime, to seal the outcome.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Freshman Trenton McIntyre scored 16 points on 5-of-8 field goal shooting to lead the Braves. He also turned in four rebounds and a trio of steals. + Redshirt freshman Cortez Marion-Holmes added a season-high 15 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes of action. + Junior Jordan Ratliffe chipped in 11 points, while newcomer Malik Sanders showed 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. + Senior Spencer Levi, who entered the contest leading the league in rebounding, tallied 12 boards on Wednesday, while also chipping in seven points.

NOTABLES

+ Wednesday's setback snapped a 12-game series win streak for the Braves. Flagler's last win in the series came via a 76-72 triumph in St. Augustine, Fla., on Feb. 22, 2014. + The result also marked the first road victory of the series for the Saints who came into the matchup with a 0-11 record at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. + The Braves got the better end of a 49-36 disparity in the rebounding column on Wednesday, and have now out-rebounded their last 10 opponents dating back to last season.

UP NEXT

UNCP will close out a short two-game home stand on Saturday when they suit up to take on Georgia College (3-2, 3-2 PBC) in the back half of a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. The event is closed to the public.

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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.