Salisbury, N.C. ? The Catawba College Men?s Basketball Team (16-9, 9-5) picked up a 69-58 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University (6-18, 4-10) Saturday afternoon in a South Atlantic Conference contest at Goodman Gymnasium.? Freshman guard Alex Watkins (Charlotte, N.C.) finished with a team-high 12 points in the losing effort for L-R.

Catawba?s Rob Fields (Orangeburg, S.C.) came off the bench to score 21 points while another reserve, Donald Rutherford (Morganton, N.C.), added 18 points as the Indians stayed in the race for first place in the league standings.

L-R built a 36-33 lead going into intermission and held a 41-39 advantage before Catawba hit five-three pointers in a five-minute span that fueled a 17-4 run for a 56-45 lead at the 8:25 mark of the second half.? Fields drained three of those treys and the Bears couldn?t get any closer than five points the rest of the way.

Catawba also connected on seven-of-eight free throw attempts in the final 2:27 of the contest en route to the win.

Sophomore forward Jeff Thomas (Efland, N.C.) added 11 points and junior forward D.J. Blackmon (Albemarle, N.C.) finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the despite the setback for the Bears.

Lenoir-Rhyne hosts Wingate in a league contest on Senior Night Wednesday beginning at 8 p.m.