Wednesday, January 24, 2007

SAINTS DROP TOUGH ROAD GAME TO LANDER
North Georgia battled the Bearcats for 40 minutes, come up short

Greenwood, SC - North Georgia College & State University dropped a 73-64 decision to North Division rival Lander University in Peach Belt Conference action Wednesday night at Horne Arena.

Unlike the first time these two teams met, this game was decided in the second half.

After falling behind 45-38 in the second half, the Saints battled back to tie the game over a three-minute span. Jay Anderson got a 9-2 run started when he hit a 15-footer to trim the lead to 45-40 with 14:11 remaining in the contest. Xavier Trice trimmed the lead to three with a short jumper with 13:42 remaining. After a Curtis Milner lay-up, junior center Robert Shoupes went over two Lander defenders for a lay-up that trimmed the lead to 47-44 with 12:01 to go. Trice tied the game at 47-47 with a three-pointer with just 11:42 remaining in the game. Jared Jackson ended the run for Lander, draining a long three-pointer in front of his bench to push the lead back to three at 50-47. However, the Saints did not give up as Anthony Rowe drained one of two free throws.

Following a basket by Scottie Smith, Trice drained a three-pointer to trim the lead to 52-51. The Saints would tie the game at 54-54 on two Anderson free throws, but Lander seemed to have an answer for every run North Georgia threw at them on this night.

For the second consecutive game, the short-handed Saints match their opponent basket-for-basket in the early stages of a Peach Belt Conference contest.

On this night, Lander scored first when Emmanuel Hodea drained a three-pointer just 31 seconds into the contest. However, the Saints answered right back when Trice drained a three-pointer from the left wing to tie the game up just 27 seconds later. Lander opened a four-point advantage, 7-3, following baskets by Smith and Jackson. But the Saints Anderson, the reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, scored five consecutive points to give North Georgia an 8-7 lead just 2:54 into the contest.

Jackson answered the run by North Georgia with a three-pointer that ignited 7-0 run and gave Lander a 14-8 lead. Anderson connected on a 10-footer to end the run and trim the lead to 14-10 with 12:42 to go in the first half. Trice then scored on a short jumper the next trip down the floor, trimming the lead to 14-12 with 11:45 to play in the half. The Saints would take the lead again, this time on a Trice three-pointer with 10:59 to play in the half, taking a 15-14 lead.

Following a free throw by Zach Evans and a media timeout, North Georgia took a three-point lead (18-15) when Shoupes converted a three-point play with 9:28 remaining in the first half.

The two teams continued to trade baskets, until the Saints drained five consecutive points to take a 24-21 lead with 5:50 remaining in the first half of action. Senior Ryan Franklin drained two free throws with 6:25 to go in the half, tying the game at 21-21. Then, Trice struck again, draining another three-pointer and giving the Saints a 24-21 lead with 5:50 to go before intermission. After Lander trimmed the lead to one, the Saints' Anthony Rowe muscled his way to the basket to give the Saints a 26-23 lead with 4:12 to play in the half.

The two teams traded baskets over the final 4:12 of the first half, forging a 33-33 halftime tie. The second meeting between the school's was a sharp contrast to what happened two weeks ago when Lander shot over 60 percent from the floor and behind the arc en route to a 16-point advantage at intermission.

On this night, the Bearcats shot just 36.8 (21-for-57) percent from the floor and 42.1 (8-for-19) percent from behind the arc. North Georgia, meanwhile, shot 42.6 (26-for-61) percent from the floor and an amazing 43.5 (10-for-23) percent from behind the arc.

Jackson led Lander with 21 points, while Zach Evans added 15.

North Georgia was led by Anderson, who continued his torrid pace, with 25 points. Trice added 19 points.

North Georgia (4-15, 0-8 PBC) returns to action Saturday afternoon at 4 pm at Columbus State.

-NGCSU-

Box Score

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