Staff report

HARROGATE, Tenn. — In a mostly dismal loss on Monday night to Lincoln Memorial, Catawba’s men’s basketball team found reasons for optimism in breakout performances by Caleb Robinson and Bernard Pelote.

The freshmen scored 20 points each in the Indians’ 106-72 blowout at the hands of the fourth-ranked Railsplitters.

Pelote, from Georgia, was 8-of-16 from the field and hit four 3-pointers. Robinson, a Louisiana native, attacked well enough and often enough to go 9-for-12 at the foul line while grabbing seven rebounds.

Larry McLeod turned in a solid, all-round effort with 10 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Marcus Burwell had six assists.

It was 24-all after 13 minutes, but LMU closed the first hlf with a 26-7 spree. Catawba (4-8) was down 50-31 at halftime against the South Atlantic Conference leaders.

Catawba didn’t shoot well enough to make a game of it — 33.8 percent from the floor and 7-for-23 on 3-pointers.

Jordan Guest scored 20 to lead the Railsplitters (16-1, 14-1). Lincoln Memorial shot almost 64 percent from the field and made 13 3-pointers..

Catawba has rescheduled a postponement with Limestone for Thursday. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. in Gaffney, S.C.

 

CATAWBA (72) — Pelote 20, Robinson 20, McLeod 10, Williams 7, Nelson 5, Peacock 5, Burwell 3, Drummond 2, T. Whitfield, Phillips, Burt, Spencer, Bowen, Sylla.

LMU (106) — Guest 20, Brown 16, Dahling 13, Bledson 11, Henry 9, Keene 9, D. Whitfield 9, Wilbar 7, Walters 4, Burries 3, Rankin 3, Smith 2.

Catawba  31    41   — 72

LMU       50    56   — 106