Curry and 19th-ranked LMU too much for Catawba

HARROGATE, TN -- Catawba kept 19th-ranked Lincoln Memorial saddled down for nearly a half, but D’Mario Curry proved to be to much as the host Railsplitters posted a 96-84 win in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action on Tuesday night at Turner Arena. The Railsplitters remain undefeated, improving to 9-0 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, while the Catawba Indians fall to 4-4 and 1-1.

Curry provided 41 points and 21 rebounds to lead LMU. He hit on 15 of 19 shots, including a trio of three-pointers, and handed out seven assists. Darryl Garrett had a big second-half for the Splitters, scoring nine of his 17 points in the final stanza to help hold off a late Catawba rally.

Stuart Thomson (Poynton, ENGLAND/Poynton) had a career night in a losing effort for the Indians. He hit on 10 of 16 shots and finished with 25 points and six rebounds. Eighteen of his points came in the first half to help keep the Tribe in the contest. Dominick Reid (Charlotte, NC/Cannon School) added 16 points, while dishing out eight assists and pulling down six rebounds.

Catawba had held the high-scoring Railsplitters just 30 points over the first 16 minutes and led 34-31 with just over three minutes to go, but Curry sparked LMU over the final four minutes. He scored 15 of the teams 18 points, including three dunks, to send Lincoln Memorial to the break with a 48-39 lead.

The Indians cut a 12-point deficit to five on a jumper by Keon Moore (Colerain, NC/Bertie HS) early in the second then LMU took control. The Railsplitters scored nine straight points and later went on top 74-56 after another dunk by Curry with eight minutes to play. Catawba made one last run, cutting it to seven with just under four minutes left, but an 8-2 run by LMU put the game away.

Moore and Lee Martin (Mt. Airy, NC/N. Surry HS/Hargrave) also reached double-figures for Catawba. Martin added 13 points and six rebounds, while Moore tallied 11 points. LMU shot 55% for the game and held a 41-34 edge on the boards. Desmond Johnson rounded out the double digit scorers for the Railsplitters with a dozen points.