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Sean Burress, Jr. 011026
51
Belmont Abbey BAC 5-8,3-4 Conference Carolinas
70
Winner UNC Pembroke UNCP 8-6,5-1 Conference Carolinas
Belmont Abbey BAC
5-8,3-4 Conference Carolinas
51
Final
70
UNC Pembroke UNCP
8-6,5-1 Conference Carolinas
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Belmont Abbey BAC 19 32 51
UNC Pembroke UNCP 36 34 70

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

Men's Basketball Blows By Belmont Abbey

PEMBROKE – The UNC Pembroke men's basketball shot 55.3 percent from the field and held the lead for 96.5 percent of Saturday's 70-51 victory over Belmont Abbey at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. 

The Braves (8-6, 5-1 CC) have now won their last 14 contests against Belmont Abbey when playing in Pembroke. The setback for the Crusaders (5-8, 3-4 CC) marks their fourth consecutive loss and fall to 1-6 when playing on the road this season. 

 
THE BASICS
SCORE: UNC Pembroke 70, Belmont Abbey 51
RECORDS: UNC Pembroke 8-6, 5-1 CC, Belmont Abbey 5-8, 3-4 CC
LOCATION: Pembroke, N.C. (Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST HALF
The game commenced with UNC Pembroke taking an early lead, as Javonte Waverly scored a jumper within the first 14 seconds. Moe Bangura followed with a layup and a free throw, pushing the score to 5-0. Belmont Abbey's Franklin Davis responded with back-to-back 3-pointers, bringing the Crusaders within one point. However, the Braves showed a strong presence in the paint, led by Nygell Verdier's contributions, extended their lead to 15-9 by the midpoint of the half. UNC Pembroke maintained momentum, closing the half with a 17-point advantage, capped by a late 3-pointer from Tyrese Melo-Garcia, ending the first half with a 36-19 lead as the teams headed into the locker room.
2ND HALF
UNC Pembroke maintained their lead over Belmont Abbey in the second half, winning the half 34-32. Jonathan Kurtas initiated scoring for the home team with a layup at 19:09, extending their lead. The Crusaders' Elijah Burnett responded with a jumper at 16:45, but UNC Pembroke continued to dominate in the paint. Moe Bangura contributed significantly with multiple layups, including one at 6:30, to stretch the lead further. A late jumper by Gabe Cerda for Belmont Abbey at the 8-second mark was not enough to close the gap, as the Braves secured the victory with a final score of 70-51.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
+ Moe Bangura finished with a team-high 13 points on a 6-for-8 shooting performance. Bangura pulled down four defensive rebounds in 25 minutes.
+ Nygell Verdier flirted with a double-double with 11 points and seven rebounds. The redshirt senior also had three steals and one block. 
+ Tahj Johnson logged a career-high 10 points, while newcomer Sean Burress, Jr., grabbed seven defensive rebounds and dished out eight assists. 
NOTABLES
+ UNC Pembroke shot 55.3 percent from the floor which marked the second-best shooting performance this season.
+ The Braves held Belmont Abbey to 37.0 percent shooting, and the Crusaders were just 5-for-23 from the field in the first half.
+ The Black & Gold outscored BAC 44-16 with points in the paint.
+ UNCP held the lead for 96.5 percent of Saturday's victory. 
UP NEXT
The Braves will hit the road on Wednesday as they travel to Murfreesboro to face Chowan. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Bob Burke 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.
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