The Indians stormed ahead at the start, rolling up a 13-point lead at 27-14, but then the Jackets outscored the Indians 15-3 to close the gap to a single point at 30-29 with four minutes left in the first half.

Catawba scored the last six points of the half to take a 36-29 advantage at intermission.

The Indians went on an 8-2 roll at the start of the second half to open a 44-31 advantage.

Catawba got its biggest lead at 18 at 60-42 with 10:20 left to play. Allen cut the deficit to 66-54 with 5:21 left, but the Jackets couldn’t muster the punch to catch the surging Tribe.

Catawba improved to 5-3 and has won four of its last five games. Allen fell to 3-4.

“It was not a spectacular game,” said coach Jim Baker of the Indians. “but it was pretty solid. We’d go up on them and then they would hit 3-pointers and get back into the game.”

Allen fired in nine 3-pointers. They had four in the first half. Glen Colliers accounted for five.

“I was pleased,” added Baker. “Our focus and concentration at times was not what we wanted but overall we’ll take it.”

Terrence Hamilton and Davor Krusevljanin led Catawba scoring with 14 apiece. Tony Davenport followed with 12 and Nedzad Gusic hit 11. Davenport was 5-for-6 from the field. Gusic hit three of five from 3-point range.

Hamilton, 7-for-8 from the field, had only four points in the first half but led the second-half surge with 10. Krusevljanin had 10 in the opening half and added four in the last half. He shot 5-for-11.

“We wanted to come out strong and did,” said Krusevljanin, who led the Indians with seven boards and had two blocked shots.

“We had a slow period in the first half but we picked it up in the second half. We are playing well now.”

Jacob Parks put the Indians ahead at 2-0, but Allen jumped out front by 5-3. Krusevljanin hit a free throw and then Gusic hit two straight 3-pointers, giving the Indians a 9-5 lead and they never trailed again. Davenport followed with a goal.

Davenport and Hamilton paced the Indians to a 27-14 lead — their biggest of the first half — but the Jackets stormed back. The Indians hit a cold spell. Catawba scored only nine points in the last 10:50 of the first half. Meanwhile, Allen scored 15 points, six coming on 3-pointers.

Catawba ended the cold streak by scoring the last six points of the half for a 36-29 advantage.

The Indians took a quick 44-31 lead before three minutes had elapsed in the last half.

Gusic and Bryan rifled in 3-pointers and Hamilton added four goals, two off steals, to propel the Indians to their biggest lead at 60-42.

Catawba managed to stay well ahead for the rest of the game.

The Indians made 47.6 percent of their shots, including 53.1 in the last half. They had five 3-pointers. Catawba made 10 of 20 from the foul line.