SALISBURY, N.C. --- - Troy Warren blocked a Tusculum shot in the final seconds as Catawba held on for a 75-74 win over the visiting Pioneers in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gym. The win lifts the Catawba Indians to 10-12 overall and 7-9 in the SAC. Tusculum falls to 4-17 and 4-12.
Warren's block atoned for an earlier turnover that gave Tusculum the final possession. After a missed jumper by Matt Shown, Javon Price grabbed the rebound for the Pioneers, but Warren blocked his follow attempt and the clock ran out before another shot could be taken.
Jameel Taylor led Catawba with a career-high 17 points as he hit on 6-of-7 shots with a pair of three pointers and four steals. Andrew Ingram also had a career-high for the Indians with 14 points to go along with nine rebounds.
Tusculum's Chase Mounce became the first player in recorded program history to record double-doubles in four consecutive games. Mounce accounted for 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Pioneers. Price posted his first double-double in a TC uniform as he tallied 12 points and 11 boards to go along with his four assists and two steals.
TC's Zach Davis hit on 7-of-11 shots to score a game-high 19 points. Cory Fagan scored 16 points and Mason Fox dished out nine assists in the loss.
Catawba never trailed in the game, leading by as many as 10 points in the opening half. The Indians scored the first six points and led 27-17 after a three-pointer by Reggie Perkins. The Pioneers charged back and closed within a point on a three-pointer by Price before Perkins scored at the buzzer to give Catawba a 35-32 lead at the break.
Tusculum rallied back from a seven-point deficit in the second half to tie the score at 54-54 on a three-pointer by Fagan with 9:45 remaining. The Indians went on a 9-2 run over the next three minutes and grabbed a 70-61 lead on a jumper by Taylor with just 3:54 to go.
Price made a big three-pointer on the next Pioneer possession and two free throws by Fagan closed the gap to 74-72 with 1:12 remaining. Warren hit a free throw for Catawba with 58 seconds to go before Fagan connected on two more for Tusculum to make it 75-74 with 44 seconds to go. Price came up with a steal off a pass from Warren with 28 seconds left, but Warren responded with the winning block to deny the Pioneers.
Jerrin Morrison had a dozen points for the Indians with Perkins and Sampah each scoring 10. Catawba shot 49 percent for the game and went 15-of-24 (62.5%) in the second half.
TC finished the game shooting 46 percent, including 13-of-25 in the second half (52%).
The Pioneers return home on Wednesday to host nationally-ranked Lincoln Memorial for an 8 p.m. contest at Pioneer Arena.
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