DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia men's basketball team used late-game heroics to come away with a 61-59 victory over Fort Valley State on Tuesday evening in Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center.
Frank Champion led the Nighthawks with a 19-point and 13 rebound double-double to help get UNG across the finish line.
Champion and
AJ White were the main answer offensively in the contest. White scored 14 points to become the only other double-digit scorer for North Georgia on the night.
Giancarlo Bastianoni finished with eight points and six rebounds off the bench for UNG.
Head Coach Dan Evans Comments
On Offensive Struggles:
"Not our best performance, and much of that was due to FVSU defending us and executing better than us. Their commitment to their style and game plan was a challenge for us. We were inconsistent and out of rhythm because they played better than us."
On Late Game Comeback:
"I am proud of how we kept competing and found a way to win. It is a good skill to have. To be able to head into the holiday victorious is a good feeling."
On Ross Morkem Memorial Night Victory:
"To pull out a win on Ross Morkem Memorial Night is important to our program. We want to honor him in everything we do all year, but this day is particularly special. I am proud of our ability to pull it out on such a meaningful night."
Key Moments
- North Georgia began the game on a 6-0 run before FVSU battled back to take the lead with 2:12 left in the first half. Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, with neither side scoring for over four minutes during one stretch.
- There were 12 lead changes in the game, with neither side able to take control of the game.
- UNG took the lead with 12:14 seconds in the game, but the Wildcats took it back on the next possession before stretching their lead to its largest of the game (7) with 7:16 left on the clock.
- An 11-2 run by the Nighthawks late in the second half gave them a three-point lead with 53 seconds left in the contest. FVSU leading scorer Myson Lowe hit a game-tying three with 34 seconds left to tie the game at 59.
- Greg Billups, Jr. scored a putback layup from an errant three-point attempt to take the lead with 16 seconds left. The layup would be Billups, Jr. first points of the game.
- The Nighthawks held on for the final FVSU possession knocking a rebound attempt out of play as time expired to pull out the victory.
Next Up
North Georgia (4-1) will head to Tennessee next Tuesday (Nov. 29) for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off versus Union. The Nighthawks fell 72-59 to the Bulldogs at home as last year's meeting was the first between the two programs since 1994. Union is 3-2 on the season, coming off a 69-58 loss to McKendree.
