Staff report
Seventh-ranked Augusta State beat No. 14 Catawba in a 97-95 barnburner to kick off the Moretz Sports Classic on Monday in Hickory.
Augusta State’s Daniel Dixon hit an acrobatic jumper with one second left in a game that featured 15 ties and 14 lead changes.
Garret Siler had 28 points and 10 rebounds for Augusta State (6-1).
Antonio Houston led Catawba (8-3) with 22 points and four steals. Cliff Burns (19 points), Donald Rutherford (14) and Rob Fields (13) also scored in double figures. Dominick Reid had seven points and six assists, and Isaac Rose scored nine points.
Catawba held its biggest lead at 61-54 with 13:43 remaining. It trailed 95-92 in the final minute, and Houston made two free throws with 48 seconds left. Burns made a steal and hit one free throw with 34 seconds remaining.
Catawba, which committed only seven turnovers, shot 64.5 percent in the second half and 58.7 percent for the game. Augusta State shot 50.7 percent and won the rebounding battle 41-26.
In Monday’s other game, Lenoir-Rhyne won 66-63 against Belmont Abbey. Catawba will face Belmont Abbey (5-2) today at 2 p.m.