PEMBROKE — The University of North Carolina at Pembroke men’s and women’s basketball teams will hit the road again on Wednesday when the Braves pack up their show and head to Greenwood, S.C., to battle Lander at Horne Arena. The women’s game is scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m., while the men’s game will follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.
The 18th-ranked UNCP men’s team (16-3, 11-2 PBC) ran their win streak out to three games with a dominant 90-52 victory over Flagler on Saturday at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. UNCP limited the Saints to just 26.1 percent field goal shooting amid a dominant first-half effort, and shot nearly 49 percent from the field themselves.
UNCP has limited opponents to a league-low 40.3 percent success rate from the field this season, including a paltry 34.0 percent success rate from the perimeter. The Braves also pace the conference with 5.1 blocks per game, while also boasting the nation’s third-best rebounding margin (+10.6).
Junior Akia Pruitt has scored in double digits in each of the last five outings for the Braves and is averaging 14.8 points per game over that stretch on 49.2 percent field goal shooting. Pruitt has also added 9.2 rebounds an outing over the span, as well as 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks.
The Bearcats (7-13, 6-8 PBC) have now dropped two of their last three outings after Saturday’s 95-66 road loss to Augusta. The Jaguars canned 13 of their 25 (52 percent) perimeter attempts in that contest, and used a 16-3 run midway through the second half to run away for good.
Lander ranks 11th among the 12 PBC institutions in scoring defense (87.8 points/game allowed) this season, but have put up 81.6 points an outing (6th PBC) themselves. The Bearcats have scored 90 or more points in half of their last 10 outings, including a program-best 128 points in a 7-point home win against Young Harris on January 2.
Junior Marquel Wiggins ranks seventh among league leaders with 16.9 points per game, and has converted on nearly 53 percent of his field goal attempts in 2018-19 as well. Wiggins ranks among the league’s top 10 in six other statistical categories as well, and has produced 20 or more points in five games this season.
The Lady Braves (7-12, 6-7 PBC) had their three-game home win streak snapped with a 51-41 setback to red-hot Flagler on Saturday at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. UNCP took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter of that contest, but shot just 2-for-19 from the field in the final period.
UNCP has limited opponents to just 35.4 percent field goal shooting (second PBC) this season, but has held its 13 league opponents to a combined a 33.7 percent conversion rate from the field (first PBC). The Lady Braves has allowed just 61.9 points per game this season, and has held eight opponents to 55 points or less.
Sophomore Melanie Horne has scored in double digits in each of her last five outings and is averaging 16.2 points per game on 47.4 percent (28-of-59) shooting. Junior Tee Graham has put up 14.4 points per game during that stretch, while also turning in 6.4 rebounds and four assists as well.
The Peach Belt Conference-leading Bearcats (15-5, 12-2 PBC) have now won six-straight games after Saturday’s 17-point (93-76) road win over Augusta. Lander scored 29 points off of 23 turnovers by the Jaguars, and outscored the hosts by 16 points in the third quarter to fuel the rout.
Lander has scored a league-best 82.2 points per game this season, and also paces the PBC in both 3-pointers (8.1) and free throws (17.1) made an outing as well. Defensively, the Bearcats rank second among the 12 PBC institutions with 12.2 steals per contest on the way to forcing 22.7 turnovers an outing.
Junior Jessica Harris (17.5 points per game), senior Mylea McKenith (17.1) and junior Symone Starks (13.7) all rank among the PBC’s top nine scorers this season. McKenith and Starks have combined for 4.3 made 3-pointers per contest in 2018-19, while Harris is the team’s leading rebounder at 6.9 boards per game.
The Bearcats are currently riding a five-game home win streak, and have not tasted defeat in Greenwood in more than two months.
