#4 Women’s Basketball finishes 2023 undefeated at home, extends nation-leading home win streak to 26 games

Salisbury, N.C. —- The 4th-ranked Catawba College women's basketball team held off a late surge from UNC Pembroke, defeating the Braves 66-61 in Goodman Arena to wrap up action in 2023. The Catawba Indians finished the calendar year undefeated at home, while extending their nation-leading home win streak to 26 games.

TEAM STATS

- Catawba shot 24-for-52 (46 percent) from the field, while limiting Pembroke to 20-of-62 (32 percent) from the floor

- The Catawba Indians connected on eight of 25 (32 percent) three-point field goals, while the Braves were 6-for-24 (25 percent) from deep

- UNCP went 15-for-19 (79 percent) from the free throw line; Catawba was 10-of-14 (71 percent)

- The Braves out-rebounded Catawba 39-35 with 14 offensive rebounds to hold an 11-4 advantage in second-chance points

- Both teams recorded 13 assists and 13 turnovers; UNCP held a slight 13-9 edge in points off turnovers

- Catawba scored 24 points in the paint to Pembroke's 16, but the Braves won the battle in fast break points 6-2

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

- Lyrik Thorne scored a team-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and three three-pointers along with four assists, two steals and a block

- Janiya Downs went food 17 points with six rebounds and a game-high two blocks

- Nala Baker chipped in 14 points, three boards and three assists

- Sara McIntosh scored six points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER

- The two sides settled in for a defensive battle, as Downs scored the first points in the game over 90 seconds into the contest

- Thorne's free throw capped a quick 5-0 run for Catawba, as they led 7-2 at the six-minute mark

- Thorne soon scored five straight of her own to lead 12-4

- Natalie Lara Fuertes drained a triple to extend the lead to 15-6 at the 2:37 mark

- Six free throws from Pembroke down the stretch kept them in it, trailing 17-12 at the opening quarter break

SECOND QUARTER

- Thorne's three-pointer to open the scoring in the third quarter gave Catawba a 20-12 advantage

- Neither team scored for the next 2:47, as the Braves' Zaria Clark broke the ice with an and-one near the six-minute mark

- Thorne's jumper pushed Catawba's lead to double digits, but the Braves responded with back-to-back buckets to stay within striking distance

- A 9-0 Catawba run – the last seven of which were all scored by Downs – pushed Catawba's lead to what was a game-high 15 points at the 2:08 mark of the second quarter

- The Catawba Indians held a 36-24 lead heading into the halftime locker room

THIRD QUARTER

- Kelci Adams' three-pointer cut the Braves' deficit to 37-27

- Clark added three of her game-high 28 points on a triple near the midway point of the quarter as Pembroke drew within seven

- Downs answered with a three-pointer to return Catawba's lead to 10

- UNCP scored the last three points of the quarter at the foul line, as Catawba's lead shrunk to 46-40 with 10 minutes to go

FOURTH QUARTER

- Pembroke's Lillian Flantos jumper made it a 48-44 game just two minutes into the fourth

- Clark's lay-in tied the game at 52 at the 5:25 mark

- After a pair of Baker free throws, Clark buried a triple to give the Braves their first lead of the game with 4:10 left

- Thorne and Baker answered with back-to-back triples to take back the lead and push the advantage to 60-55 with 2:08 remaining

- A quick three-pointer and one free throw brought the Braves to within a point, but a key Baker layup and pair of free throws from Thorne pushed Catawba in front, as the Catawba Indians kept UNCP scoreless for the final 48 seconds of the game

UP NEXT

- Catawba returns to South Atlantic Conference play in the new year, hitting the road to take on Coker on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 5:30 p.m.