Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UNCP Athletics

scoreboard

Nygell Verdier 123122
65
Columbus St. CSU 7-5,0-2 Peach Belt
73
Winner UNC Pembroke UNCP 12-1,4-1 Conference Carolinas
Columbus St. CSU
7-5,0-2 Peach Belt
65
Final
73
UNC Pembroke UNCP
12-1,4-1 Conference Carolinas
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Columbus St. CSU 35 30 65
UNC Pembroke UNCP 28 45 73

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Todd Anderson, Associate AD/Strategic Initiatives

No. 13 Men’s Basketball Uses Big Second Half To Down Columbus State

PEMBROKE – The 13th-ranked UNC Pembroke men's basketball team shot better than 61 percent from the field in the second stanza to rally back from a seven-point halftime deficit and turn back upset-minded Columbus State, 73-65, on Saturday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
It was the fifth-straight win for the Braves (12-1) who slapped the lid on a perfect 8-0 non-conference slate with the result as well. The loss marked the third-straight setback for the Cougars (7-5) who have now dropped seven of the last nine series matchups with the Black & Gold, including three consecutive losses at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
 
THE BASICS
SCORE: UNC Pembroke 73, Columbus State 65
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 12-1; Columbus State 7-5
LOCATION: Pembroke, N.C. (Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST HALF
Columbus State shot better than 52 percent from the field in the opening half, but it was a sizeable run in the waning minutes of the period that ultimately allowed the Cougars to tote a 35-28 advantage into the locker room. The Braves forged a 19-10 lead after Elijah Cobb's layup at the 8:24 mark, but Grant Howard's layup 37 seconds later sparked the visitors on a 15-2 run that spanned a good part of the next five minutes. CSU was 4-for-5 from the field over the run, but also capitalized on a quartet of turnovers by the hosts as well.
2ND HALF
UNCP turned the table in the second half, canning 61.5 percent of their field goal attempts, while also turning in a 12-for-13 tally from the free throw line, to aid the comeback victory. Javonte Waverly's jumper just less than five minutes into the second stanza signaled a run of six-straight points that put UNCP out in front for good, but the hosts strung together a 10-2 run later in the period to push their lead out to double digits. The Black & Gold led by as many as 15 points, 68-53, after Nygell Verdier's one-handed slam with 4:08 left to play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
+ Sophomore Bradlee Haskell matched a game-high with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while also adding three rebounds, an assist and one steal.
+ Newcomer Elijah Cobb added 13 points on 5-of-8 field goal shooting, and barely missed a double-double with nine boards as well. He also turned in two steals and a pair of assists.
+ Sophomore Nygell Verdier registered his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-best 11 rebounds. Seven of his 11 points came in the opening half.
NOTABLES
+ Saturday's victory closed out an unbeaten 8-game regular season non-conference slate for the Braves which included a pair of victories over Columbus State. UNCP has now posted 11-straight regular season wins against non-conference foes, including a perfect 3-0 mark in 2021-22.
+ The Black & Gold has now captured 71 of its last 81 home games dating back to the 2015-16 season. UNCP is averaging 74.5 points at home in 2022-23, while holding opponents to just 67.8 points per game at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
+ UNCP shot a season-best 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the free throw line on Saturday. It is the second time this season that the Braves have shot 80 percent or better from the charity stripe, but the first time accomplishing the feat since canning 20 of their 25 attempts from the line in a loss to Francis Marion on November 30.
UP NEXT
The Braves will close out a short 2-game home stand on Wednesday when they take on Conference Carolinas foe Converse (6-7, 4-2 CC) in the back end of a 5 p.m. doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow UNCP Men's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" UNCP Men's Basketball on Facebook.
BACK THE BRAVES
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.
Print Friendly Version