Staff report

DAHLONEGA , Ga. — Down 12 in the middle of the second half it didn’t look good for Catawba’s men’s basketball team.

Down eight with 48 seconds left in regulation it looked considerably worse.

But fourth-seeded Catawba played a great 48 seconds, while fifth-seeded UNC Pembroke couldn’t buy a free throw. The Indians were able to tie it, and they went on to win in overtime.

Catawba’s season continues for at least one more day after a strange and wild 98-94 victory against UNC Pembroke in a Southeast Regional quarterfinal on Saturday night.

Whistles turned it into a free-throw shooting contest,

Catawba (23-5) made a school-record 39, topping the 38 the 1964 Indians made against Mars Hill.

Catawba attempted 51 free throws, topping the 50 the Indians tried against Limestone in 2010.

UNCP was called for 31 fouls. Three Braves fouled out.

Catawba was whistled for 26 personal fouls, plus one technical. UNC Pembroke shot 37 free throws, a staggering amount, but not record-setting. The Braves made just 20 of 37, and it cost them the game.

Catawba had no shortage of foul trouble, but the Indians are deep. No one fouled out.

There were 88 free-throw attempts in the game. The 512 fans who watched in the North Georgia’s Convocation Center may or may not have appreciated the non-stop whistles, but Catawba will take it.

Javeon Jones (25 points), Kaleb Wallace (20) and Kris Robinson (18 ) carried Catawba’s offense one point at a time. They were the guys taking and making the free throws. Robinson went 12-for-12, while Wallace was 11-for-12. Jones was 11-for-15, but that’s still a respectable 73 percent.

Dre Nelson added 10 points. Peyton Gerald contributed nine. Montraivis White scored eight.

Both teams enjoyed runs in the first half, but UNC Pembroke got to the break with a 35-30 lead.

Catawba tied it immediately at the outset of the second half only to see the Braves (23-7) take charge again. UNCP appeared headed to the winner’s circle until those final, fateful 48 seconds.

The turning point was a 3-point attempt by Robinson with 48 seconds left and with the desperate Indians down eight. Robinson missed — both teams shot 3s miserably – but a foul was called. Three free throws later, the Indians were down five. Catawba fouled. UNCP cooperated by missing two free throws.

Jones made a jump shot. Amazingly, no foul was called. Catawba was down three.

Catawba fouled. UNCP missed two more free throws.

With 18 seconds left in regulation, Robinson connected on a 3-pointer to tie the game at 83-all. Wallace made the pass.

Catawba got a stop, and the teams went to overtime.

Catawba trailed 93-89 with 1:11 in the OT period, but that was no big deal.

Jones made a shot in the lane. Then Jones split two free throws. Jones made the fast-break layup that put the Indians ahead 94-93 with 19 seconds left. Again, Wallace made the pass.

UNC missed. Catawba rebounded. Jones made two free throws for a 96-93 lead with 11 seconds left.

Catawba put UNCP on the line for two, rather than risking a tying 3-pointer. That strategy paid off.

UNCP made one of two to trail by two, and Robinson made two free throws with 6 seconds left for the four-point lead that sealed victory.

The Indians will play at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night against top-seeded host team North Georgia.

UNC Pembroke       35   48    11   — 94

Catawba                    30   53    15    — 98

UNCP — Verdier 19, Carr 16, Miller 15, Gardner 14, Haskell 10, Jones 6, Cobb 6. Berenbaum 6, Marion-Holmes 2.

CATAWBA — Jones 25, Wallace 20, Robinson 18, Nelson 10, Gerald 9, White 8, Epps 6, Thomas 2.