SALISBURY, N.C. –The Coker College men's basketball team dropped their South Atlantic Conference opener 70-63 on the road against Catawba College on Tuesday (Nov. 24). 

The Cobras struggled from the field in the first half, shooting only 22.6% from the field. The Indians held a 19-point 41-22 lead as the two teams went into the locker rooms for halftime.

Catawba stretched the lead to 25 with 11:56 left in the game. However, the Navy and Gold would mount their second half comeback, going on a 26-7 run to cut the deficit to just six with 2:13 left on the clock. Unfortunately for the Cobras, the run would stop there as Catawba held on for a seven-point 70-63 victory.

Donte Samuels poured in a career-high 31 points on 9-17 shooting and a near perfect 11-12 performance from the charity stripe. Jake Barrett and Trey Marshall chipped in nine and eight points apiece, while Trey James pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

The Cobras will take a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to the court on Saturday (Nov. 28) to take on Limestone College in a non-conference road matchup. Opening tip is set for 4 p.m.