ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Catawba College men's basketball team suffered a one-possession loss to top seed and seventh-ranked Anderson, 78-75, in the championship game of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon inside the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.
TEAM STATS
- The Catawba Indians (23-8) finished at 50% from the field, breaking even or better for the fifth time this season, to lead Anderson (29-2) who was slightly lower at 49.1%
- It was an underwhelming day from beyond the arc for Catawba as the blue and white went 3-for-13 (23.1%) while the Trojans posted an 8-for-20 (40.0%) ledger; the teams combined for an 0-for-11 clip in the second half
- Free throw efficiency was comparable as Catawba led 84.6%-82.4%, but the underdogs earned nine more chances at the line and swished an additional eight
- Catawba was held to a season-low five offensive rebounds as Anderson claimed a 31-22 advantage on the boards and a 15-9 margin in second-chance scoring
- Each side recorded six steals, accounting for nearly half of their opponent's turnovers; the Catawba Indians committed 11, while the Trojans coughed up the rock 13 times
INDIVIDUAL STATS
- Ibra Athie poured in a team-high 17 points using an efficient 6-for-8 shooting record with a 5-for-6 register at the charity stripe; of his five rebounds, four came on the offensive end
- Less than 24 hours removed from a 30-ball, Jordan Simpson supplied 16 points and led the Catawba Indians with three steals
- LeVionne Lindsey and Solomon Tucker came off the bench to score nine points apiece and combine for Catawba's three blocks
- Zion McDuffie hit a pair of field goals and went 4-for-4 at the free-throw line for eight points
- Justin Banks racked up seven points in 14 minutes, draining his lone three-point heave, with a steal
- The brotherly duo of Carson Daniel and Chase Daniel combined for six rebounds and five assists
UP NEXT
Catawba will learn its regional seeding and opponent during Sunday's NCAA Division II Selection Show beginning at 11 p.m. on ncaa.com.
