Monday, February 7, 2005

CANES UPSET #21 SAINTS 83-80

Dahlonega, Ga. – For the third straight game at Memorial Gymnasium, the game was decided in the final minutes of the second half, this time though the 21st ranked Saints of North Georgia College & State University fell short by three points as Georgia Southwestern State University came away with the 83-80 win.

The lead switched hands 19 times in the first half as both teams battled back and forth in the paint for points and rebounds. Each team scored 22 points under the basket and had 38 combined rebounds. In the final minutes of the half the Canes went on a 10-5 run, capped off by a three point with four seconds left by junior guard Jeremy Schreiber (Fernandina Beach, Fla.)

Current SSAC Player of the Week Dontae Truitt (Baltimore, Md.) led GSW with 18 points in the first half and former NAIA Player of the Week, sophomore guard Matt Causey (Gainesville, Ga.) scored 13 for the Saints.

As the second half began the Canes broke out to a nine-point lead off of a dunk by Truitt, but with 17 minutes left in the game the Saints tied the score off of a lay-up from Causey. North Georgia held onto the lead for the next 14 minutes until a three pointer from Schreiber tied the score at 78-78. Schreiber hit another three to give GSW a one-point lead, and with the Saints forced to foul the Canes held on for the three point win.

Truitt led all scorers, even though he fouled out of the game with 8:35 left in the game, with 28 points and six rebounds. Junior guard Robert West (Morrow, Ga.) tallied 13 points and Schreiber ended the game with 12 points.

Causey led four Saints in double figures with 22 points and seven assists. Senior wing Bryce Brickhouse (Norcross, Ga.) had 19 points and sophomore forward Mark Trust (Winder, Ga.) and senior forward Canaan Brown (Buford, Ga.) each had 10 points with Trust adding 12 rebounds.

With the win, GSW improves to 16-7 overall and 9-7 in the conference. North Georgia falls to 18-7 overall and 12-4 in the conference.

Up next for the Saints is a battle with Auburn University Montgomery on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. The Canes host Shorter College on Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

Box Score

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