UNC Pembroke Secures Spot in Sweet Sixteen, First Time in Program History

UNCP entered the NCAA D-II Tournament as the No. 5 seed in the Southeast division and are making program history with its first go in Sweet Sixteen. They'll play Tuesday at 7 p.m., facing off against No. 3 seed Lenoir-Rhyne for a shot at advancing to the Elite Eight. 

The Braves played a close first round against Lincoln Memorial clutching a victory of 90-88. UNCP’s tough defense forced a Lincoln Memorial turnover leading to Josh Berenbaum’s game-winner layup with one second left in regulation. 

In round two UNCP secured a commanding 91-80 win over the No. 1 seed Colombia State. Both sides battled for the lead in the first half, but the Braves led the entire second half. 

UNCP is entering the Sweet Sixteen matchup on a 13-0 run. Lenoir-Rhyne is ridding off their 94-79 win over Augusta and a 91-87 victory against No. 2 USC Aiken. Both teams are going in with closely matched odds, making for an exciting battle to watch until the very last buzzer. 

Tuesday morning the UNCP student fan bus left for Columbus, Georgia to support the Braves at the Frank G. Lumpkin Center. The Braves are going for a Southeast Conference win for the first time in program history and are attempting to clinch their first spot in the Elite Eight.