Southwest Dominates First Half in Route to 91-79 Win Over Catawba Valley

CEDAR BLUFF, Va. — The Southwest men's basketball team (8-3, 3-3) used a dominant first half, doubling up Catawba Valley 50-25 in the first half in route to a 91-79 win Wednesday night inside the King Community Center.

The Flying Eagles dominated both ends of the floor in the first half to take a 25-point lead into the break. Catawba Valley slowly chipped away at the Flying Eagles lead in the second half. The Red Hawks got as close as eight with just over six minutes to play. However, soon after the Flying Eagles were able regain a double-digit lead which they never relinquished for the remainder of the game.

Saveon Falls returned from a two-game absence due to a knee injury. Falls recorded a double-double with 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting and 11 rebounds.

Brennan Howard and Braeden Crews each added 19 points. Crews had a double-double of his own, with 10 rebounds to go with his 19 points. It marks Crews' first double-double of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Braeden Crews scored the first 10 points of the game for the Flying Eagles.
• The Flying Eagles jumped out to a 10-point lead at 15-5 less than 5 minutes into the game.
• The Flying Eagles held a 31-16 lead with just under seven minutes to play in the first half. They would then go on a 14-3 run over the next three minutes to jump out to a 45-19 lead.
• Saveon Falls closed the first half with a nifty pass off the backboard to himself for the lay in just before the first half buzzer.
• A slow offensive start to the second half allowed for Catawba Valley to slowly work their way back into the game. The Red Hawks got as close as 76-68 with just over six minutes to play.
• However, the Flying Eagles would then go on a 9-2 run with most of the points coming from the free throw line where they shot 79 percent as a team for the game. The run put the game out of reach for the Red Hawks.

GAME NOTES

• The Flying Eagles were glad to see the return of Saveon Falls to the lineup. Falls missed the team's previous two games with a knee injury. Prior to the injury Falls was the team's second-leading scorer averaging 18 points per game.
• As a team, the Flying Eagles shot 48.4 percent (31-64) from the floor and a season-high 45.5 percent (10-22) from three.
• Brennan Howard scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half.
• Braeden Crews shot 63.6 percent (7-11) from the field. His second-best FG percentage from the floor this season and his best in conference play. 

UP NEXT

• Southwest travels to Clifton Forge, Va. on Saturday for a nonconference matchup against Dabney S. Lancaster. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
• The Roadrunners are in Region 10, but are a Division III team.
• The Flying Eagles won the previous matchup this season at home, 97-64.