SALISBURY, N.C. -- TJ Nesmith scored a career-high 21 points but Lenoir-Rhyne fell to Catawba 91-89 in overtime on Saturday night. The Bears erased a 13 point deficit with 9:51 to play to force an extra period but couldn't complete the comeback attempt. 

GAME INFORMATION:
Final: Catawba 91, Lenoir-Rhyne 89 (OT)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (3-5, 2-3 SAC) I Catawba (4-6, 3-5 SAC)
Location: Goodman Gymnasium

STATS AND INFO:
- LR had five players score in double figures for the first time since Feb. 13 against Anderson
- This is the third game this season for the Bears that has been decided by three points or less
- LR has lost two straight against Catawba and the Indians have scored exactly 91 points in both
- The Bears are just 1-4 in the last five at Goodman Gym

FIRST HALF:
- Kevin Kangu and Salle Wilson came out of the gates hot, combining for 21 points in the first 10 minutes as LR built a 27-21 edge
- From that point forward, it was all Catawba. The Indians would close the half on a 29-12 spurt
- The hosts shot 62.5 percent from the field in the opening half and went 7-of-12 from long range
- Kangu and Wilson were held to two points in the final 10 minutes of the half
- The Indians held a 22-10 advantage on the boards
- Lenoir-Rhyne protected the ball and committed just a pair of turnovers
- Catawba was led by 11 points from Michael Hueitt Jr. who went 3-of-5 from deep

SECOND HALF:
- Jalen Johnson, who had been held scoreless in the first half, scored 10 points in the first nine minutes of the second half
- Johnson would score all 17 of his points in second half and overtime and buried a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to force the overtime period
- With Catawba holding a 78-74 lead with 2:36 left, the teams wouldn't score for two full minutes. LR would get a bucket from Malik LeGania to make it 78-76
- Catawba missed a 1-and-1 with 29 seconds to go and Johnson would be fouled attempting a three. The sophomore went 2-of-3 from the line and LR got a stop on the defensive end to send it to OT.
- Nesmith scored eight in the second half and exploded for nine of LR's 11 points on 3-of-3 shooting in overtime
- Catawba shot 60 percent in overtime and went 7-of-11 from the free throw line
- The Indians scored the first six points of overtime and held the Bears without a point for the first 3:03
- Catawba's OT lead would swell to as many as seven points but LR cut it to three with 26 seconds to go. Catawba sank a pair of free throws late to seal the win

ABOUT THE BEARS:
- Nesmith's previous high was 18 points
- Wilson would add a career-high of his own with 18 points
- Kangu finished with 15 points and LeGania added 10 on 5-of-7 shooting

NOTABLE INDIANS:
- Caleb Robinson finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds
- Trevion Lamar had 17 points and six boards and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe
- Hueitt Jr. would add 14 and Peyton Gerald had 13 and four boards

UP NEXT: The Bears will return home for the first time since Nov. 20 when Anderson comes to Hickory on Wednesday. That game starts a four-game homestand for the Bears with tip-off coming at 7:30 p.m.