PEMBROKE — The 8th-ranked UNC Pembroke men’s basketball team shot 60% or better from the field for the second time in four days, and utilized a 20-6 run in the game’s first eight minutes to take the lead for good as the Braves stretched their win streak out to 14 games with a 96-72 rout of visiting King on Saturday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

The Braves (21-1, 13-1 CC) have now recorded 21 victories quicker than any other team in the 84-year history of the program, edging out last year’s squad who needed 23 games to pick up win No. 21. Saturday’s loss marked the fifth-straight setback for the Tornado (5-14, 4-8) who fell to fell to 1-4 overall in the series with the Black & Gold.

UNCP tacked up a 63% shooting performance in the first half, including a 7-for-10 clip from the perimeter, on the way to lugging a 50-32 lead into the intermission. King kept pace with the hosts for the first four minutes of the afternoon, but Nygell Verdier’s jumper at the 15:22 mark signaled the start of a 17-4 run for the hosts that spanned the next 3-1/2 minutes and eventually stretched the lead out to 14 points, 24-10. The Black & Gold led by as many as 20 points, 45-25, in the opening stanza following a 3-pointer from Javonte Waverly with 2:12 left to play.

A 57.2% shooting effort in the second half, as well as a 13-for-19 clip from the free throw line, kept the visitors at arm’s length the rest of the way out. UNCP led by as many as 28 points, 72-44, just nine minutes into the second stanza before King put together a last-gasp effort that got the game as close as 15 points, 78-63, following a 4-point play from Malik Payton six minutes later.

Sophomore Nygell Verdier scored a team-best 19 points on 7-for-10 field goal shooting, while also turning in seven rebounds and four assists. He also went 4-for-7 from the free throw line.

Sophomores Bradlee Haskell and Javonte Waverly both netted a pair of 3-pointers on the way to 14 points apiece. Waverly finished the afternoon with a 5-for-7 shooting clip, while Haskell tallied three rebounds and matched a team-high with four assists.

Redshirt senior K.J. Walker came in off of the bench to record 12 points, three assists and one steal, while redshirt sophomore Elijah Cobb added 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting day to go along with five rebounds and a pair of steals.

The Braves will close out a three-game home stand on Wednesday when they bunker down to take on Southern Wesleyan (3-18, 3-10 CC) in the back half of a 5 p.m. Social Media Night doubleheader at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

Defense keys Braves women to victory

The UNC Pembroke women’s basketball team forced 25 King turnovers and tallied 28 points in the paint on the way to a 64-43 victory against the Tornado on Saturday afternoon at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

The Braves (15-7, 12-2) have now won the last eight home contests and improve to 3-1 all-time against King. The Tornado (4-16, 4-8 CC) have now lost six consecutive games and are just 2-11 when playing on the road.

UNC Pembroke scored the first two buckets of the contests to take an early 4-0 lead after a jumper in the paint from Zaria Clark halfway through the opening period. Jhayda McKinney connected on a trey from the top of the key for what would be King’s only basket of the quarter. UNC Pembroke closed out the quarter on a 6-1 scoring run and limited the Tornado to just 12.5% shooting to hold an 11-4 advantage.

The Braves extended their lead out to 24-8 after a quick 8-0 scoring run, six of which were fastbreak points, with just under five minutes remaining in the half. The hosts connected on 47.1% of their attempts from the field, and held a 33-17 as the teams headed into the locker rooms.

King put together a 6-0 scoring surge to chip away at its deficit, 39-26, with a jumper from Jaden Potts, but UNCP responded with a layup from Lillian Flantos with 4:40 on the clock. Both teams shot 33.3% from the field, but the Tornado were 5-for-6 from the charity stripe, including one with 12 seconds on the clock, but the hosts held a 48-33 lead heading into the final stanza.

Both teams struggled offensively making just two baskets apiece, but King’s 5-0 run whittled its deficit back to 54-43 with 5:44 remaining in regulation. UNCP closed out the game on a 10-0 scoring advantage and connected on 12-of-15 attempts from the free throw line to help fuel the outcome.

Kalaya Hall scored a game-high 18 points on a 5-for-12 shooting performance. Hall flirted with a double-double with seven rebounds. She also logged three assists.

Zaria Clark scored in double-figures for the fifth consecutive game recording a dozen points. The sophomore finished with a 4-for-5 clip from the free throw line and grabbed five boards.

Lillian Flantos added eight points on 3-for-8 shooting in 20 minutes of work.

Hannah Russell and Malea Garrison each grabbed seven rebounds, while Aniah McManus dish out four assists.

UNC Pembroke’s defense limited King to just 24.4% shooting from the field. Saturday marked the third-straight outing where the Braves have held their opponents to under 30% shooting. It was also King’s second-worst shooting performance, just behind a 21.3% performance at Wingate early in December.

The Black & Gold have now out rebounded their opponents in the last three games.

Saturday’s victory marked the eight-straight home victory this season for UNCP.

The Braves forced 25 Tornado turnovers and picked up 25 points from those turnovers.

UNCP also posted a 28-4 advantage with points in the paint.

UNC Pembroke limited King to its lowest scoring performance this season.

The Braves will welcome Southern Wesleyan (4-17, 4-9 CC) to Pembroke on Wednesday for Social Media Night. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.

Another UNCP track record falls at Winter Classic

Newcomer Jalen Jones bested his own school record in the 400-meter dash along to highlight the action on the final day of the Winter Classic for the UNC Pembroke track & field teams on Saturday at the Corps Physical Training Facility.

Jones beat his own school record set earlier this month and cruised to a third-place finish in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.01. Tayvon Callahan posted a fifth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles, while Delsin Burkahrt placed seventh in the mile run.

On the women’s side, Lillian Marino registered a ninth-place finish in the shot put, while Julia Van Dine established a personal-best in the 800-meter run on the way to a 13th-place finish. Jalea Thomas (200-meter dash) and Kathryn Anderson (mile run) both logged top-15 finishes in their respective events.

The teams combined for eight personal-best marks during Saturday’s competition. The Braves will be back in action on Friday for the Camel City Invitational. The two day meet will take place at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem.