By Horace Billings

Salisbury Post

Guard Brian Graves is called the playmaker for Catawba’s Indians.

Now he can also be called the game-winner.

Graves fired in a 3-point shot with 12 seconds remaining to give the Indians a low-scoring 53-50 victory over Tusculum’s Pioneers in South Atlantic Conference action Wednesday night at Goodman Gym.

Tusculum tied the score at

50-all in the fading seconds on a free throw by Jordan Lear. He missed the second shot and Catawba got the rebound.

With time running out, Graves fired in the long 3-pointer that gave the Indians their winning margin.

Tusculum missed a final shot at the buzzer.

“I’m pleased we got this win,” said coach Jim Baker of the Indians. “We did not play well. We played hard and we made some good things happen when we needed them.”

It was a close game down to the wire.

Catawba led early on baskets by Ahmad Murphy and Jason Diggs. The Indians jumped ahead by 23-12 on two baskets by Norman Monroe.

Tusculum went on a 15-0 roll to take a 27-23 lead. Then Catawba scored five straight points for a 29-27 advantage at halftime

Graves gave the Indians a 50-49 lead with 3:22 left.

Tusculum’s Lear broke a scoreless spell with a free throw that tied the score at 50-all with 54 seconds remaining.

Lear missed the second of two free throws and Catawba got the rebouind.

Graves then fired in he 3-pointer that decided the game.

Graves and Chris Wooldridge had 11 apiece to lead the Indians. Chris Poore paced Tusculum with 15.

The Indians made only 31 percent of their field goal attempts (20 of 63). They sank only 23 percent (7 of 30) in the last half.

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NOTES: Catawba is 7-7 overall and 2-1 in the SAC. … Tusculum is now 7-7 overall and 0-4 in the SAC.