control 69-60 with less than a minute remaining. Rivera drained three free throws for a 72-60 Falcons’ advantage and Hightower added a pair from the charity stripe before the Braves’ Cooper hit a layup for the final margin. Montevallo shot 53.5 percent overall, including 63.6 in the second half, and hit 50.0 percent of its 3-point attempts (7-of-14). The Braves shot 46.2 percent for the game, but connected on just 3-of-14 (21.4 percent) from long distance. UNCP edged the Falcons on the boards, 30-28. Box Score
PBC Quarterfinals: Dominating First Half Propels Jaguars to PBC Semifinals
(3/2/12) COLUMBUS, Ga. – Augusta State University (17-10) used a dominating first half performance to push past Georgia College (17-10) 71-49 Friday afternoon in the second quarterfinal of the Peach Belt Conference Championships at Frank G. Lumpkin Center. With the win the Jaguars advance to face the University of Montevallo in the first semifinal on Saturday beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Both teams struggled shooting the ball early as they combined for 10 points over the opening five minutes of the game. After going 2-for-8 from the field in the opening five minutes of the first half, the Jaguars went 14-for-21 the rest of the way to pull away from the Bobcats. With the score tied 6-6 with 14:02 to play in the half the Jaguars began 7-0 run capped off by a WrightNelson three-point play. A three-pointer by Quin Bivins with 11:28 to play ended the run and cut the Bobcats deficit to just four points. Just five minutes later with the Jags up by six, ASU began a 10-0 run to take a 28-13 with 3:41 to play in the half. ASU would grow its lead over the final minutes to 19 as the half expired, 38-19. Georgia College shot just 29.2 percent from the field in the first half while Augusta hit 55.2 percent of its shots. GC struggled from deep as they hit just 1-of-7 attempts from beyond the three-point line while ASU did not convert a single three-pointer in the half.
The Bobcats came out in the second half and played even with the Jaguars but it would not be enough as the 19-point halftime deficit proved too much to over come. ASU opened the second half with a 14-4 run to increase its lead to 29 but that would be the Jags largest lead of the contest as the Bobcats began to find their rhythm. An Aquino three-pointer with 4:48 ASU was led by PBC Freshman of the Year Devon left in the half cut the deficit to 15 but that would Wright-Nelson who led all scorers with 22 points be as close as the Bobcats would come as the basand also grabbed 16 rebounds which was also a ket sparked a 10-0 run by the Jaguars to retake a game-high. Harold Doby chipped in 15 points and six 25-point lead. Georgia College was able to knock boards while O’Neal three-points off the lead over the final minute as AuArmstrong had 11 gusta won 71-49. points and six assists. ASU will now battle Montevallo in the PBC semifinals for the third-straight season. UM won the first meeting Georgia College had during the 2010 PBC Tournament while ASU took the a trio of double-digit 2011 meeting, 61-52. scorers including Box Score PBC First Team selection Ryan Aquino PBC Quarterfinals: USC Aiken Survives who led the team with 14 points and Clayton State; Advances to Semis (3/2/12) COLUMBUS, Ga. – Maurice Hubbard scored seven rebounds. Jared Holmes add- 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds Friday evening to lead the USC Aiken men’s basketball team to a 48ed 12 points while 40 victory over Clayton State in the quarterfinal round Tarrence Chatman of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament hosted by had 11. Augusta State’s Dip Metress Columbus State University at the Frank G. Lumpkin Draws up a Play 80