NEWBERRY — In the second game of the season at Eleazer Arena, the Newberry Wolves (1-5, 0-2 SAC) were unable to stifle the visiting Catawba College Indians (5-1, 1-0), losing the game 98-74.
The Indians were able to control the tempo early, pushing out to a 16-4 lead in the opening five minutes. This gave them a double-digit lead that they would manage to hold onto for nearly the entire game, keeping the Wolves at a distance despite multiple runs that seemed to hint at a comeback.
Newberry’s offensive output was a major improvement from their prior game against Bowie State, but the Wolves were still unable to keep up with the overall efficiency of the Indians. Catawba was exceptional from the floor, converting on 56.3 percent of their attempts compared to Newberry’s 42.1 percent. The Indians were also able to knock in 16 more field goals than the home team.
The Wolves were paced by Angelo Sales Jr., who recorded his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds, both team highs for the evening. Marquis Collins and Marshall Lange also scored in double-digits, recording 12 and 10 points respectively.
The Wolves best opportunity at a comeback came in the beginning of the second half with the Wolves trailing 61-38, one of the largest deficits of the night.
Sparked by a set of stellar possessions from Olufemi Boko, the Wolves were able to reel off a 13-0 run to bring the game to within 10, the closest it had been since the opening minutes; however, the Indians were able to find their footing once again and managed an 11-0 run of their own, gaining a comfortable lead that ultimately earned them the convincing victory.