MURFREESBORO – Quick, name the most improved team in 2006.

If you said Chowan College’s men’s basketball you may well have been right.

The Braves recorded their eighth consecutive win in 2006 and moved to 11-8 on the season as they dropped Claflin University by a count of 79-59.

&uot;I am happy to get the win,&uot; fourth-year Braves’ coach Jim Tribbett said. &uot;I was especially worried about a young team coming off an emotional win Tuesday.

&uot;We had a large crowd and it was electric tonight,&uot; he added. &uot;Our defense was solid.&uot;

Trayvon Lathan was dominant in the Braves’ win, scoring 29 points while adding six assists, nine rebounds and two steals.

Despite the large margin of victory, Chowan held only a four-point (32-28) advantage at the intermission.

The second half saw the Braves start pulling away as Jon Dyer opened the second half with a field goal, which was followed by consecutive hoops from Montino Williams and Lathan.

The Panthers got within six (38-32) on an Anthony McCants hoop, but Chowan rolled off the next seven points.

Williams started the spurt with a triple followed immediately by two buckets from Lathan.

Claflin responded with a three-pointer from Antonio Kelly and a hoop by Karl Ray, but Chowan got five points the same way, getting a triple by Chris Kenon and a Lathan deuce to go ahead 50-37.

The lead was down to eight (64-56) late in the second half, but Chowan closed the game on a 15-3 run that sealed their second victory over the Panthers this season.

Lathan got the first four points during the spurt, followed by a hoop and a free throw from Williams that made it 71-56.

Lathan, Williams, Dyer and Marcus Artis all scored down the stretch to preserve the Chowan College victory.

Overall, the Braves put four in double figures, led by Lathan’s 29. Williams added 13 points to go along with six steals and the same number of assists.

Kenon put in 12 points off the bench while Artis registered 11 points to go along with 10 rebounds.

The Braves will be back in action Monday when they travel to Millersville University.

Chowan (79): Trayvon Lathan – 29, Montino Williams – 13, Chris Kenon – 12, Marcus Artis – 11, J. Dyer – 6, A. Scott – 6, W. Hambrick – 2

Claflin (59): Antonio Kelly – 17, Maurice Williams – 16, R. Stewart – 8, A. McCants – 6, K. Ray – 4, A. Coulter – 3, B. Johnson – 3, C. Jackson – 2