SALISBURY, N.C. — Nick Walker recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Catawba College men’s basketball team to a 66-55 win over visiting Tusculum University Saturday afternoon at Goodman Arena in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action.
Catawba (13-8, 10-7 SAC) out-rebounded the Pioneers by a 52-33 margin including 19 offensive rebounds, resulting in 20 second-chance points. The Catawba Indians complete the season-sweep over Tusculum (4-17, 4-13 SAC) who drop their eighth straight road contest.
It was a defensive battle throughout as neither team shot over 40 percent from the floor. Catawba went 24-of-61 from the field for 39 percent including 4-of-15 from three-point territory (27%). TU went 22-of-63 for 35 percent while going just 3-of-23 from long-range (13%).
Catawba’s Kris Robinson added 10 points and six rebounds, while Ibra Athie added six points and a game-high 12 boards.
Tusculum sophomore Bryce Jackson posted 17 points, six rebounds and a career-high five steals. Freshman Denaj Kimber finished with 11 points, while senior Akeem Odusipe contributed nine points and eight boards in fourth straight loss.
Catawba used an early 7-0 run to take a 12-4 lead following a Robinson jumper in the paint at the 15:36 mark of the first half. Tusculum responded with a 9-5 spurt which included four points from Jackson and a three-pointer from Denaj Kimber to trim the deficit to 17-13 with 10:35 remaining in the period.
Catawba went on an 11-3 run over the next seven minutes as Robinson’s triple extended the lead to 28-16 with 2:53 left before halftime. Tusculum would score five in a row thanks to a pair of Jackson free throws and a Malachi Hale three-pointer as the lead was cut to seven at 28-21 with two minutes left.
The teams would exchange baskets as neither team scored in the final 83 seconds of the half as Catawba took a 30-23 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, Tusculum trimmed the deficit to five on two occasions including the last at 38-33 following a 6-0 TU run with 14:03 left in the game. Catawba answered with an 11-2 run which including five straight points from Walker as the Indians led 49-35 with 10:40 left.
Catawba pushed its advantage out to as many as 19 with under seven minutes left and would not give up the double-digit cushion for the rest of the contest.
Tusculum forced 20 turnovers in the game thanks to a season-high 15 steals, which are tied for the eighth-most in program history.
The Pioneers, who have played 14 of its first 21 games away from Greeneville, will finish the regular-season by playing five its last seven at home. TU begins a season-long three-game home-stand on Wednesday with a rematch against Emory & Henry University at 7:30 p.m.
