Women’s Basketball stifles Braves, advances to Regional Semis

Salisbury, N.C. —- The 17th-ranked Catawba College women's basketball team won its second-ever NCAA Tournament game on Friday afternoon, defeating 8-seed UNC Pembroke 57-40 to advance to the Regional semifinals of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament at Goodman Gym. The Catawba Indians improve to 26-5 overall, while the Braves end their season at 22-10.

Janiya Downs led the team in scoring with 15 points with three three-pointers, while fellow senior Lyrik Thorne added 13 points, five assists and four rebounds. Kalaya Hall had a game-high 15 points for Pembroke. In the win, Thorne eclipsed 1,500 points for her career.

Catawba's defense limited UNC Pembroke to 26 percent shooting for the game, holding the Braves to under 10 points in each of the final three quarters. The Catawba Indians out-rebounded UNCP 40-29 and knocked down 10 triples to claim their second Tournament win in three years.

Pembroke came out swinging, as Hall hit back-to-back three-pointers and Alcenia Purnell's triple gave the upset-minded Braves a 9-0 lead less than two minutes in. Catawba got on the board at the 6:58 mark on a Thorne layup. Threes from Jada Porter, Miyah Dubose and Thorne helped the Catawba Indians to a 9-2 run in less than a three-minute span to tie the game at 13. The teams entered the first quarter break tied at 15.

Downs led Catawba out of the break to a personal 5-0 run, which sparked the Catawba Indians to the first nine points of the second quarter. Thorne's three-pointer at the midway point of the period gave Catawba a 24-15 lead. The Catawba Indians followed up with another 8-0 run in the quarter to open up a commanding 32-17 lead at the 3:17 mark. Back-to-back triples for the Braves to close the quarter cut their halftime deficit to nine.

Catawba extended their lead back to double digits by scoring the first five points of the second half via a Downs three and a pair of free throws from Sara McIntosh. After nearly four minutes of game action with no points on either side, the teams continued to trade baskets as the game's defenses intensified. The Catawba Indians led 47-32 with 10 minutes remaining.

UNCP got their deficit to as little as 12 points in the fourth quarter, but could not generate enough offensive firepower to overcome the late Catawba advantage. Downs scored the game's final points including a three-pointer with less than 10 seconds to go to finalize the 57-40 final margin.

Catawba advances to Saturday's Regional Semifinal round, where they will face the winner of Clayton State and Lenoir-Rhyne for a trip to their first-ever regional final. The game will tip at 7:30 p.m.