GREENWOOD, S.C. – The No. 22 University of North Georgia men's basketball team battled back from a 15-point halftime deficit but fell short in their 76-75 Peach Belt Conference loss at Lander. The Bearcats found success from beyond the arc in the first, making six threes on 15 attempts.
Frank Champion recorded a double-double in the game scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He had six assists and four blocks to add to his stat line.
Four Nighthawks scored in double-digits, with
Greg Billups, Jr. finishing with 14 points tying Champion for the team lead.
AJ White (13) and
Case Roach (11) rounded out the double-digit scoring for North Georgia.
Giancarlo Bastianoni was a key contributor inside the paint for the Nighthawks, finishing second on the team in rebounds with nine while adding two blocks.
The loss moves UNG to 10-2 and 3-1 in Peach Belt Conference play, ending their seven-game win streak.
Key Moments
- Lander (10-3, 2-1 PBC) pulled away from UNG in the first half with a 23-2 run ending at the 6:40 mark in the first half. The Bearcats led by 15 points at that point holding a 32-17 lead and led by as many as 21.
- The Bearcats got to the line often early in the game, ending the first half with five straight points, all from the free throw line.
- A Bastianoni dunk at the 11:19 mark in the second half cut the North Georgia deficit to 12 points.
- The Nighthawks cut the deficit to single digits with 8:17 on the clock by way of a made jumper by Bastianoni.
- Billups, Jr. got the Nighthawks within four with a fastbreak layup to make it a 71-67 game with 2:32 remaining.
- Hunter Shedenhelm's three with 58 seconds to go made it a single-possession game. The Nighthawks would follow the made three by forcing three straight turnovers on the defensive end but could not convert on their three chances on the offensive end.
- Lander's Jacob Cooper made it a two-possession game with a made free throw with 12 seconds left.
Next Up
UNG will face Clayton State for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday (Jan.11) at Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center.
