Saturday, February 19, 2005

#25 SAINTS BLOW PAST WARRIORS 109-98 ON SENIOR DAY
Matt Causey Scores 43 Points with 12 Assists

Dahlonega, Ga. – With a career high performance from sophomore guard Matt Causey (Gainesville, Ga.), #25 North Georgia College & State University out-gunned Southern Wesleyan University 109-98. The Saints also honored a quartet of seniors this evening in the pre-game Senior Day.

The Warriors (12-5, 7-13) took an early lead and had were ahead for a majority of the first half. SWU sophomore forward Dealto Marshall (Jackson, Miss.) led the way with 14 points in the first half after going 4-for-6 from the field.

North Georgia (20-8, 13-5) finally took the lead with seven minutes to go after sophomore forward Mark Trust (Winder, Ga.) sunk a lay-up to give the Saints a 37-36 lead. With eight seconds left in the half, Causey sunk a jumper to give the Saints a two-point lead, but Marshall sailed the ball down court to freshman guard James Parker (Kennesaw, Ga.) for an easy lay-in and cut the lead to 55-53 heading into the locker room.

The lead flip-flopped 15 times in the second half as both teams scored at will. With 4:30 left to go in the game, Causey sunk two free throws to give North Georgia a 90-89 lead. The Saints then went on a 9-2 run over the next two minutes, but the Warriors would not go down without a fight. After cutting the lead to 101-95, senior guard Marshall Jenkins (Due West, S.C.) went up for a lay-up to cut the lead to four, but a monster block by junior guard Charles Mitchell (Dahlonega, Ga.) sent the ball back down the court and Trust laid it in to make the lead eight.

The Saints defenses held and made their free throws to finishes off the clock and win the game 109-98.

Causey led three North Georgia players in double figures his sixth double-double of the season. Trust had 20 points and senior guard Bryce Brickhouse (Norcross, Ga.) added 14 points.

Marshall led six Warriors in double digits with 21 points followed by junior guard Jerans Rapley (Abbeville, S.C.) with 20 and senior guard Brandon Allen (Laurens, S.C.) with 18.

Seniors Chris Bishop (Chatsworth, Ga.), Brickhouse, Matt Cunningham (Buford, Ga.), and Trey Hill (Kingsland, Ga.) were all honored tonight before the Saints took the floor. Tonight was the second-to-last home game for these seniors, as they will take the floor for a final time on February 28 against Faulkner University.

North Georgia travels to Berry College on Monday for a key Southern States Athletic Conference match-up, while SWU will play Shorter College on Thursday.