SALISBURY, N.C.----Brian Graves scored a game-high 15 points and Jason Diggs added 12 to lead the Catawba men's basketball team to a 66-54 non-conference victory over Lander Sunday afternoon in Goodman Gymnasium.
Catawba improves to 3-6 overall, while Lander drops to 5-5. Last Saturday (Dec. 9), Lander defeated Catawba in Greenwood, 78-61.
Emanuel Hodrea was the lone Bearcat to score in double figues as he netted 10 points and grabbed three rebounds. Jason Davis added nine points, while Michael Griffin and Curtis Milner had eight each.
Lander, which led 36-32 at halftime, connected on 23-of-62 field goals for 37.1 percent, 2-of-16 three-point shots for 12.5 percent and 6-of-11 free throws for 54.5 percent.
Catawba made 25-of-53 field goals (47.2 percent), 2-of-9 three pointers (22.2 percent) and 14-of-19 free throws (73.7 percent). Catawba outrebounded Lander, 38-34.
Lander's biggest lead in the first half came at the 1:25 mark when Dane Sparrow made a field goal to give Lander a 34-27 advantage. Catawba cut the lead to 34-32 on a Graves field goal before LU's Brenton Harris dunked the ball with two seconds left in the half.
The Indians took their first lead of the second half at 40-39 on a field goal by Rob Fields at 14:27. A Graves' field goal gave Catawba a 57-51 led with 5:05 left and the Bearcats were held scoreless until 1:56 (64-51) when Scottie Smith made the first of two free throw attempts.
