Men's Basketball Falls Just Short Against No. 16 Catawba Wednesday Night

HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Coker University men's basketball team battled No. 16 Catawba until the final whistle Wednesday night (Jan. 8), but fell by a score of 85-81 in South Atlantic Conference action.

No. 16 Catawba held a 7-5 lead through the first four minutes, before the two teams would trade scores through the under-12 media timeout with Catawba leading 14-13. Catawba would extend its lead further and eventually into double digits later in the first half, before the Cobras would get back within nine with two and a half minutes to play in the half. Catawba would finish off the half on a 5-0 run to take a 44-28 lead to the half.

Coker would battle back in the second half, and ultimately win the second half 53-41. The rally effort would fall just short in the final few minutes. After Catawba held a double-digit lead early in the second half, the Indians built a 20-point lead with under 12 minutes in the second half. Coker would trim the lead down to 12 to force a Catawba timeout with under 10 minutes to play, before Malcolm Kennedy would score on back-to-back possessions to get Coker back within seven. Out of another Catawba timeout, a Chandler Lindsey layup would get Coker back within two possessions. Catwaba would take a seven-point lead into the final six minutes, before Chris Swiney knocked down a triple to get the Cobras back within four. Coker would stay within two possessions in the final few minutes, getting within three on a Lindsey layup with three minutes to play. The Cobras would stay within two possessions' length, as the nationally-ranked Indians iced the game from the free throw line.

Royce Hunter led the Cobras with a game-high 29 points, while Kennedy posted 13 points, Swiney added 11 and Lindsey chipped in 10. Four other Cobras contributed points in the game. Dakota Jennings pulled down a team-high nine rebounds in the game, while Williams Onyeodi and Lindsey each had six boards and five other Cobras were active on the glass. Lindsey dished out a team-high four assists, while Kennedy and KJ Harris each had three along with one from Hunter. Hunter and Kennedy each recorded two steals, while Jennings and Harris each had one. Jennings recorded all three of Coker's blocks in the game.

The Cobras are back at home on Saturday (Jan. 11) to host Tusculum in South Atlantic Conference action. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m., with video and live stats available at www.cokercobras.com.

McDonald's Player of the Game - Royce Hunter