PEMBROKE, N.C. -- Mason Taylor scored 14 points and Mario Lacy, Jr., added eight points and eight rebounds, but Belmont Abbey dropped an 87-51 decision at seventh-ranked UNC Pembroke in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action Wednesday night.

With the result, the Crusaders close out the regular season at 17-11 overall and 13-7 in league play. The Braves are 26-2, 18-2, winning their first Conference Carolinas championship.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Taylor hit five of 13 shots and made a team-high two three-pointers.
• Belmont Abbey shot just 30.4 percent from the field (17 of 56), the lowest number of the season. Meanwhile, UNCP connected at a 50.7 clip.
• The Braves grabbed 53 rebounds, most by an opponent this season. The Crusaders totaled just 28 caroms.
• Pembroke dominated the paint, outscoring The Abbey 60-22.

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders were already locked into the No. 4 seed for the Atlantic Casualty Insurance Conference Carolinas Tournament Feb. 26 - March 6.
• The Crusaders will face the survivor of the first two rounds, involving host and No. 5 Chowan, No. 8 seed Mount Olive and No. 9 seed Lees-McRae .
• The quarterfinal matchup for Belmont Abbey will be Friday, March 4 at 6 p.m. in Spartanburg.