By Horace Billings

Salisbury Post

Forward Antonio Houston provided the key points as Catawba’s men’s basketball team outlasted Lenoir-Rhyne’s Bears 93-82 in overtime in the SAC opener for both teams on Wednesday night at Goodman gym.

Houston, a freshman from Charlotte, delivered 10 points in the extra session to spark the Indians (6-6) to their fourth straight victory.

Regulation ended 77-77.

Lenoir-Rhyne managed a slim 39-36 advantage at halftime.

The Bears charged ahead 60-48 before the Indians started a comeback.

Catawba chipped away at the deficit and jumped ahead 69-67 on a three-point play by Ahmad Murphy, but Lenoir-Rhyne regained the lead on a bucket by Reggie Bratton.

Then Murphy scored five straight points to give the Indians a 75-72 lead, but a three-point play by Bratton tied the score at 75-75.

Two free throws by Murphy put Catawba ahead 77-75 with 49 seconds remaining,

Bratton hit two free throws with 31 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

Houston and Josh Kindred traded points. Then a key 3-point play by Houston and a layup by Brian Graves shoved the Indians ahead 84-79.

The Bears were held to one field goal in the extra period.

Houston led Catawba’s attack with 25 points. He shot 8-for-15 from the floor, made two 3-pointers and added seven free throws.

Graves followed with 18 points. Murphy collected 14.

The Indians shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half.

Bratton led Lenoir-Rhyne with 29 points.

LENOIR-RHYNE (82) — Bratton 29, Kindred 18, Springs 12, Mauldin 8, Hinds 7, Watson 6, Boardman 2, Cook, Allen.

CATAWBA (93) — Houston 25, Graves 18, Murphy 14, Diggs 7, Rose 6.Magnusson 5, Wooldridge 5, Brinkley 4, Fields 2, Williams.

L-Rhyne 39 38 5 — 82

Catawba 36 42 16 — 93