February 24, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, Sports Information Assistant

SAINTS WIN THRILLER IN FINAL HOME GAME
Jay Anderson seals the win with running lay-up

Dahlonega, GA – North Georgia College & State University used a running lay-up by Jay Anderson with 9.8 remaining to give the Saints the lead for good at 76-75. Anderson would make the ensuing free throw, and Francis Marion would fail to get off another shot as the Saints took their final regular season game 78-75 here this afternoon at Memorial Hall.

Francis Marion led by as much as seven in the first half off a three-pointer by Dominic Bishop with 16:21 left to give the Patriots a 9-2 advantage. Jay Anderson would spark a 10-0 run by the Saints with a jumper off the pass from Jakirra Millsap with 16:03 remaining in the half. Over the next five minutes, the home team used a combination of jumpers by Anthony Rowe, Ryan Franklin and a break away dunk by Anderson to take their first lead of the game at 12-11 with 11:16 remaining in the half.

The Patriots would take the lead briefly with a jumper by Raymond Dorsey and two free-throws by Bishop to give the visitors a 15-12 lead. The Saints would once answer with a run of their own starting with a lay-up by Rowe with 9:55 remaining. North Georgia would score the next fourteen points capped by a pair of free throws from Anderson to put a lid on a 16-0 run a Saints lead of 28-15. With 2:42 on the clock Francis Marion head coach Gary Edwards was tossed from the game for arguing a call, and Saints took advantage with a four-point swing from the free throw line  North Georgia would lead by as much as 21 in the first and would take a 45-24 lead into the break. 

The Patriots came out firing in the second half with a jumper from Bishop that sparked the visitors. Seven minutes later a running lay-up by Rodrick Burton capped an 18-5 scoring run and cut the Saints lead to just eight with the score 50-42. North Georgia fought to hang onto the lead, but finally relinquished the advantage on a three-pointer by Baker with just 3:10 remaining in the contest.

The Patriots led by as much as four at 75-71 with 58 seconds left North Georgia’s Anderson went to work. He would complete two three-point plays in the final minute, with the second one giving the Saints the lead for good at 77-75 with 9.8 remaining. Rowe would knock down a free throw in the final seconds to seal the 78-75 win on the final day of the regular season.

Anderson led all scorers with 25 points going 8-18 from the field. Rowe was right behind his teammate with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Bishop took the Patriots on his shoulders and dropped 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds. 

The Saints will return to action in the Division II NIT Tournament on Sunday at 3pm in Fort Myers, Florida.

- NGCSU-

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