DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia (UNG) men's basketball team continued its strong start to the 2026-27 season Friday night, earning a 75-69 victory over Emmanuel in the opening game of the Conference Crossover Challenge, hosted by North Georgia at the UNG Convocation Center. The Nighthawks used an efficient offensive performance and a strong presence in the paint to secure the six-point win and remain unbeaten on the season.
North Georgia set the tone early with its interior offense, scoring 24 points in the paint during the opening half.
Stephen Akwiwu got the Nighthawks on the board with a layup before adding another basket midway through the opening period.
Ja'mari Arnold also contributed early, tying the game at 6-6 with a jumper off an assist from
Zack Hawkinson.
The Nighthawks found their rhythm offensively as the first half progressed, with
Bailey Macarthur and
Avery Coles providing valuable contributions off the bench.
Emmanuel responded with a scoring run to reclaim the lead, but
Dae Morrissette answered with a 3-pointer to put North Georgia back in front, 13-11. The two teams continued to trade baskets throughout the remainder of the half, with neither side able to establish a comfortable advantage.
The Nighthawks eventually created some separation behind contributions from Hawkinson, who scored multiple baskets in the closing minutes, and Arnold, who connected from beyond the arc with 50 seconds remaining. North Georgia carried a narrow 35-34 lead into halftime.
UNG opened the second half with a layup from
Jake Stephens, but Emmanuel quickly answered with a dunk and a 3-pointer to regain the advantage. The Nighthawks continued to attack the basket, with Macarthur and Morrissette combining for consecutive layups to put North Georgia back in front, 51-47.
Akwiwu continued to make his presence felt on the interior, adding another layup off an offensive rebound as the Nighthawks maintained their advantage.
Emmanuel refused to go away, however, putting together a scoring run that included back-to-back 3-pointers from Isaac Jones to eventually tie the contest at 59-59. The Lions continued their push, taking a 65-64 lead with 4:26 remaining after a pair of free throws.
Arnold answered with a clutch 3-pointer to return the advantage to North Georgia, 65-64, before Akwiwu made a layup to give the Nighthawks a 67-65 lead. Emmanuel responded at the free throw line to even the score at 67-67 with 2:33 remaining, setting up a decisive final stretch.
Chase Champion delivered a critical moment for the Nighthawks, knocking down a 3-pointer with 2:17 remaining to put North Georgia ahead 70-67. Emmanuel trimmed the deficit to one with a jumper, but Peterson stepped to the free throw line with 1:22 remaining and converted both attempts to extend the lead to 72-69.
The Nighthawks closed out the contest with a defensive stop before Morrissette provided the final exclamation point, draining a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining to push the advantage to six. North Georgia held Emmanuel scoreless the rest of the way to secure the 75-69 victory.
Four Nighthawks finished in double figures, led by Arnold, Akwiwu and Hawkinson with 13 points apiece. Arnold was particularly efficient, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range while distributing a team-high seven assists. Akwiwu recorded a double-double with career highs of 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. Morrissette added 11 points and four assists, while Peterson contributed eight points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
Emmanuel (1-1) was led by Justin Skelton, who finished with a game-high 20 points, while Miles Clanton added 13 points and four rebounds in the loss.
North Georgia (2-0) finished the night shooting 57.7% (30 of 52) from the field and 53.3% (8 of 15) from beyond the arc. The Nighthawks also dominated the interior, outscoring Emmanuel 42-20 in points in the paint.
North Georgia continues play in the Conference Crossover Challenge on Saturday, Nov. 14, when the Nighthawks face Auburn-Montgomery at 4 p.m. at the UNG Convocation Center.
