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Jonathan Kurtas 120325
86
Winner UNC Pembroke UNCP 4-4
72
Claflin CLAFMBB 3-4
Winner
UNC Pembroke UNCP
4-4
86
Final
72
Claflin CLAFMBB
3-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNC Pembroke UNCP 43 43 86
Claflin CLAFMBB 28 44 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Morgan Sheehan, Assistant AD/Communications & Strategic Initiatives

Men's Basketball Rolls By Claflin

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The UNC Pembroke men's basketball team shot 60.8 percent from the floor in the second half and picked up 46 points from its bench on the way to an 86-72 victory over Claflin on Wednesday evening inside the Jonas T. Kennedy Center.  

The victory for the Braves (4-4) snapped a two-game skid and marked the second win on the road this season. The setback for the Panthers (3-4) marked their first loss at home this season and is their second consecutive loss.
 
THE BASICS
SCORE: UNC Pembroke 86, Claflin 72
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 4-4, Claflin 3-4
LOCATION: Orangeburg, S.C. (Jonas T. Kennedy Center)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST HALF
The game began with Nygell Verdier's dunk just 16 seconds after tipoff. Claflin kept pace early, tying the game at 4-4 with Alex Atkinson's fast-break dunk at 17:31. However, the Braves pulled ahead with a 10-0 run, highlighted by Joe'l Pettiford's layup at 10:58, which was part of a stretch where they went ahead 18-15. The Panthers took a 21-18 lead with a layup from Justin Mims with under 10 minutes on the clock, but UNCP took its largest lead of the first half, 43-28, with a free throw from Demar Anderson to end the half and send the teams to the locker rooms.
2ND HALF
UNC Pembroke maintained a strong lead throughout the second half. Joe'l Pettiford's dunk early in the half set the tone, pushing the lead to 45-30. Jonathan Kurtas was instrumental in the paint, contributing multiple key baskets, including a tip-in at 13:41 that extended the lead to 56-39. Despite the efforts from Claflin to narrow the gap, highlighted by a layup and three-pointer from Atkinson, UNCP's consistent scoring, capped by a three-pointer from Quay Watson at 2:24, ensured the victory with a final score of 86-72.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
+ Jonathan Kurtas scored a career and game-high 21 points on a 9-for-12 shooting performance. The redshirt senior flirted with a double-double matching his career-high in rebounds with eight, while also tallying three steals and two blocks in 24 minutes of work.
+ Javonte Waverly added 17 points in 38 minutes of work. Waverly grabbed seven rebounds, dished out four assists and had one steal. 
+ Demar Anderson chipped in a dozen points highlighted by a 6-for-8 showing from the free throw line. 
NOTABLES
+ UNC Pembroke shot 50.0 percent from the floor, while Claflin finished the contest shooting 43.1 percent from the field. 
+ The Black & Gold outscored the Panthers 46-32 with points in the paint and 46-25 with points from the bench.
+ The Braves also held a 41-29 advantage on the glass and scored 18 second chance points. 
UP NEXT
The Braves will travel to Petersburg, Va., on Saturday for a non-conference contest with Virginia State. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. inside the VSU Multipurpose Center. 
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.
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