MORROW, Ga. — The Catawba College men's basketball team takes on a pair of Peach State programs this weekend at the Clayton State Classic. Catawba battles Columbus State in a neutral-site tilt on Friday, then wraps up its stay against the host Lakers on Saturday.
Good Day in Goodman
- Catawba collected its first victory of the 2025-26 campaign on Sunday with a 90-52 rout of USC Aiken in the home opener
- It was a balanced offensive attack with five double-figure scorers, led by LeVionne Lindsey at 15 points
- Justin Banks cleaned up in the paint as the senior forward chalked up a double-double on 14 points and 14 assists
- Carson Daniel enjoyed a career day with 11 points and eight assists in his second collegiate start, doing so twice to start his sophomore campaign
Georgia on Our Mind
- The Catawba Indians have not played a regular season game in the Peach State since taking a road win over Augusta on Nov. 19, 2019
- The blue and white have visited Georgia for three postseason matchups in the last two years, going 1-2 with season-ending losses to North Georgia and USC Aiken
Peach Belt Tour
- All of Catawba's games for the first two weeks are against members of the Peach Belt Conference
- The Catawba Indians played four games against PBC programs in 2024-25 and 2018-19, but this is the first time in recent history facing four different opponents, all in the regular season
Four Games in Four States
- Friday's game will mark Catawba's fourth matchup in as many states (third official)
- Last Tuesday, the Catawba Indians battled Division I George Mason for an exhibition in Virginia before heading to South Carolina for the season opener at Lander
- The blue and white opened their home slate on Sunday with USC Aiken
- Per program records, no Catawba team had ever opened a season with three consecutive games in different states until this year
Unfamiliar Foes
- After playing a pair of programs that Catawba has gotten to know well in Lander and USC Aiken, the Catawba Indians have a combined two meetings against both of their opponents this weekend
- Both matchups were against Clayton State in barnburner-style battles that went to overtime during the 2006-07 season; the Lakers won the Dec. 2 tilt 76-75, then eliminated the Catawba Indians from the NCAA Tournament with a 72-69 result
- This will be the first time that Catawba and Columbus State have matched up, but the Cougars hosted last year's NCAA Southeast Regional that the blue and white attended
Scouting the Cougars
- Ranked No. 16 in the preseason NABC Coaches' Poll, Columbus State is off to a 1-1 start with a five-point win over Southern Wesleyan and a one-point heartbreaker loss to North Greenville
- CSU went 27-5 last season and earned the top seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional, but was upset by fifth-seeded UNC Pembroke in the second round
- Through two contests, the Cougars have committed the fourth-fewest turnovers per game nationwide at 7.5 (totaling 15)
- Jydon Hall has piloted the offense with 21.0 points per game and eight total assists to start the year, highlighted by his 23-point, seven-dime outburst to help defeat Southern Wesleyan
- Jordan Mitchell is one of the Cougars' best in the paint, shooting 62.5% while averaging 11.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per tilt in the early going
Scouting the Lakers
- Clayton State is seeking a bounce-back season after posting a 7-21 record in 2024-25
- With an 0-2 start to 2025-26, the Lakers have suffered losses in 18 of their last 19 games dating back to last year; the triumph was a 64-58 stunner over Lander on Feb. 8
- Both of the Lakers' losses occurred last weekend at Chowan against South Atlantic Conference teams Tusculum and Lenoir-Rhyne, who reached the NCAA Elite Eight last year
- DJ Wright led Clayton State in scoring during each contest with a 25-point showing against Lenoir-Rhyne
- Dez'Mond Perkins recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds versus the Bears
Follow Along
- Both games will be broadcast live on the Laker Sports Network, the Clayton State side of the PBC Sports Network
- Live stats will be available at claytonstatesports.com
