DAHLONEGA, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University men's basketball team saw its five-game winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon, falling 79-62 on the road to No. 15 North Georgia in Peach Belt Conference play at the UNG Convocation Center.
The Hurricanes battled throughout the afternoon but were unable to overcome a strong first half by the nationally ranked Nighthawks, who shot better than 58 percent before the break to seize control.
Early Runs Set the Tone
North Georgia struck quickly, opening the game on a 13-3 run and forcing GSW to play from behind from the opening minutes. The Hurricanes briefly found their footing behind early perimeter shooting, but UNG continued to attack the paint and convert in transition.
The Nighthawks carried a 45-30 advantage into halftime, shooting 18 of 31 from the field while capitalizing on turnovers to build separation.
Jacobs, Reaves Lead the Way
JR Jacobs and
Amir Reaves paced the Hurricanes with 14 points apiece, each finishing 5 of 14 from the floor.
Jacobs added nine assists and played all but two minutes, while Reaves chipped in four rebounds and knocked down all three of his free throws as GSW worked to stay within striking distance throughout the second half.
Second-Half Push Comes Up Short
The Hurricanes showed resilience coming out of the locker room, trimming the deficit to 14 on multiple occasions early in the second half. Back-to-back three-pointers from Jacobs and
Keshawn Brown Jr. helped GSW cut the margin to 50-39 with just over 16 minutes remaining.
North Georgia responded with timely baskets inside, leaning on Colin Turner and Zack Hawkinson to reestablish control. Every Hurricane surge was met with an answer as the Nighthawks maintained their cushion.
Inside Presence Makes the Difference
North Georgia finished with a 46-22 advantage in points in the paint and shot 57.1 percent for the game, using its size and efficiency to keep Georgia Southwestern from mounting a sustained comeback.
Turner led UNG with 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting, while AJ White added 17 points and Zack Hawkinson chipped in 14.
Off Their Averages
Deonte Williams added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Hurricanes, while
Matthew Webster knocked down three three-pointers to finish with nine points. GSW connected on 11 triples but was held to 35.5 percent shooting overall against one of the league's top defenses. The Hurricanes allowed 11 more points than their average this season (68.4) and scored 16 points less than their average (78). The 36 attempts from beyond the arc is a season high and two shy of the program record.for most in a game.
With the result, Georgia Southwestern moves to 11-4 overall and 4-3 in PBC play, while North Georgia improves to 11-2 overall and 5-2 in the league.
Next Up
The Hurricanes return home for a pair of games in the Storm Dome next week starting with a matchup against USC Beaufort on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.
