AUGUSTA, Ga. – A season of firsts continued for the University of North Georgia men's basketball team as they fought past second-seeded and 12th-ranked UNC Pembroke to take a 76-58 victory in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at Augusta's Christenberry Fieldhouse.
A battle of toughness finished in favor of the seventh-seeded Nighthawks as
Giancarlo Bastianoni scored 25 points, adding nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals in an all-around effort for the sophomore.
Frank Champion finished second in scoring with 17 points, helping to finish off defensive possessions by grabbing eight defensive rebounds.
Cayden Charles and
Greg Billups, Jr. finished third and fourth in rebounds, helping UNG earn a 39-30 advantage in the game.
AJ White finished with 13 points in the game to round out the double-digit scorers.
Key Moments
- A low-scoring affair opened up the first eight minutes of action with both sides feeling each other out, locked in a 9-9 tie with 11:02 left in the first half.
- The Nighthawks slowly grabbed a lead, stretching it to five points as they headed into the locker room with a 32-27 lead.
- UNCP brought it back to a tie at 37 with 17:28 remaining. The Nighthawks continued to battle, taking back the five-point advantage en route to a 7-0 run ending at the 15:30 mark.
- The Nighthawks outscored UNCP 15-5 in the final six minutes to secure the 18-point victory.
Next Up
The Nighthawks will face third-seeded Lincoln Memorial at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday (Mar. 12) in the Southeast Regional semifinal. The Nighthawks and Railsplitters will face off for the second time this season, with the Railsplitters escaping with an 87-86 victory on Nov. 19 at Lynn Cottrell Arena at the UNG Convocation Center.
