SALISBURY, N.C. - Using a pair of first-half runs, Catawba built a 17-point lead, then held off a late Anderson rally, as the Indians claimed an 86-79 win over the Trojans in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action, Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gym.

Anderson fell to 3-8 overall and 2-4 in conference action, while Catawba (5-5, 4-2 SAC) improved to 5-1 at home on the season.

The Trojans out-rebounded Catawba, 37-31, but were unable to overcome 18 turnovers, including four costly miscues down the stretch. The Indians were shooting 56 percent from the field and had connected on 4-of-7 treys as they built their advantage, but AU ended up out-shooting the Indians, 49.1 percent to 47.4 percent and outscored Catawba by seven points in the second half.

Four Trojans reached double figures in the scoring column, as junior Rakish Taylor posted a career-high 21 points, including 11 in the second half, with sophomore Maurice Howard reaching double-figure scoring for the seventh straight game with 21 points. Sophomore Tre' Fields came off the bench to add a career-best 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while teammate Lex Davis tallied 10 points and six rebounds. Taylor shared game-high rebounding honors with seven boards.

Catawba sophomore Jameel Taylor led all scorers with 26 points, with fellow sophomore Jerrin Morrison notching 22 points. Vismantas Marijosius chipped in 10 points for the Indians.

Rakish Taylor's third basket at the 14:22 mark of the opening half capped a 6-2 run and gave the Trojans their largest lead of the game, at 12-6. But the Indians responded with five unanswered points that pulled Catawba within one just a little more than a minute later.

With the score knotted at 15 apiece and less than 12 minutes on the clock, freshman Randall Shaw's field goal gave the Trojans a 17-15 advantage - their final lead of the contest, as Catawba reeled off a 14-2 scoring surge that was sparked by three consecutive 3-pointers over a 1:11 span to claim a 26-17 edge.

AU closed within 29-24 on a pair of free throws from Howard, however the Indians countered again with an 18-6 outburst that enabled Catawba to build a 47-30 cushion with 1:56 on the clock and took a 48-34 halftime lead.

With the Trojans still trailing by 13, at 53-40, with 16:27 left in the contest, AU posted a 12-1 scoring outburst over the next 4:18 to slash the Indians' lead to just 54-52. Fields knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Rakish Taylor added five points, as the Trojans battled back. Moments later, Rakish Taylor's close jumper evened the score for just the fourth time of the afternoon and the first time since the 11:46 mark of the opening half, at 58-58.

Trailing just 64-63 with 6:26 on the clock, the Trojans committed four turnovers in their next six possessions that enabled Catawba to reclaim a nine-point lead with 3:09 remaining. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Davis and Fields drew AU within 73-70, but the Indians connected on 13-of-14 from the charity stripe inside the final three minutes to hold off the Trojans.

Anderson has a 15-day layoff for the Christmas and New Year's holidays before returning to the Abney Athletic Center hardwood to close out its nonconference slate by playing host to Warren Wilson on Jan. 4. Tip-off versus the Owls is set for 6 p.m.