Ferrum College split a pair of Conference Carolinas men’s basketball games last week, surviving a last-second thriller at home before dropping a tight road contest three days later.

Ferrum edged UNC Pembroke 65-64 on Feb. 11 at Swartz Gymnasium when senior guard Gerren Jones hit a running jumper with less than a second remaining. The basket capped a back-and-forth second half and lifted the Panthers to 14-8 overall and 12-4 in conference play at the time.

UNC Pembroke opened with a 5-0 run, but Ferrum settled in and carried a narrow lead into halftime. Neither team led by more than a few possessions in the second half. The Braves appeared poised to escape with the win after taking a 64-63 lead in the closing seconds, but Jones pushed the ball up the floor and delivered the game-winner just before the buzzer.

Jones finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Alfredo Abel-Rivera added 16 points and 6 boards, Rodrigo Farias had 15 points and five assists, and Abdulh Diaby scored 14 with 6 rebounds. Mahmoud Bangura led UNC Pembroke with 16 points, and Nygell Verdier added 15.

The win over one of the league’s top East Division teams gave Ferrum momentum heading into a road matchup at North Greenville.

That momentum stalled Saturday as The Panthers fell 75-71 at North Greenville in Tigerville, SC.

Ferrum built an early lead behind strong starts from Jones and Abel-Rivera, but North Greenville battled back to take control before halftime. The second half featured multiple lead changes, with neither team able to create separation until the final minute.

The Trailblazers converted key free throws down the stretch to secure the win.

Jones and Abel-Rivera each scored 16 points to lead Ferrum. Diaby added 15 points, and Farias finished with 12. Carter Bobbitt paced North Greenville with 26 points and nine rebounds.

With the split, Ferrum moved to 14-9 overall and 12-5 in conference play, remaining in the mix in the Conference Carolinas standings as the regular season winds down.