College men’s basketball: Big rivalry win for Indians
Published 4:56 am Thursday, January 25, 2024
- Catawba’s Peyton Gerald. JON C LAKEY @highrock / FOR THE SALISBURY POST.
Staff report
SALISBURY — College basketball seasons are long grinds, with inevitable valleys and peaks.
Catawba’s men’s basketball team had a down cycle that included a 66-point effort at Tusculum, but teamwork and joy returned on Wednesday.
Catawba beat Wingate 91-80, no small accomplishment, as the Bulldogs came to Goodman Arena unbeaten in the South Atlantic Conference and holding a two-game cushion.
Now that cushion is down to one one game — over surging Lincoln Memorial.
Catawba stayed in the league’s top five with the victory. The Indians remained part of the upper tier, two games back of Wingate in the loss column. The Indians are still contenders.
The shooting and rebounding numbers posted by the Indians (9-4, 6-3) and Bulldogs (14-1, 9-1) were very similar. Catawba’s key edge over the Bulldogs was in the turnover battle. Catawba forced 17, while committing a season-low seven.
Seven turnovers will win against anyone unless the shooting is just dreadful, and Kris Robinson made sure the Indians, who played without two key scorers, didn’t have a dreadful shooting night in front of a “Red Out” crowd of 195.
Robinson made four 3-pointers and scored 22 points. Peyton Gerald (15), O’Mazeon Tinsley (14), Justin Mitchell (12) and Dre Nelson (11) also scored in double figures.
Nelson’s three 3-pointers off the bench were immense, as were Zion McDuffie’s 10 rebounds in 16 minutes.
Catawba put together a 14-0 run in the first half that led to a 41-33 lead at halftime.
Wingate erased that lead and moved ahead in the second half, but Robinson made two of his 3-pointers in a pivotal 8-0 run that put the Indians on the road to their most satisfying win of the season.
Kendall Taylor led the Bulldogs with 20 points. Donell Nixon, who chewed up the Indians in the game at Wingate, scored 19.
Wingate 33 47 — 80
Catawba 41 50 — 91
WINGATE — Taylor 20, Nixon 19, Roberts 17, Massey 11, Lingo 5, Bell 4, Loewen 2, Pack 2.
CATAWBA — Robinson 22, Gerald 15, Tinsley 14, Mitchell 12, Nelson 11, McDuffie 9, Banks 5, White 3.
