AMERICUS, Ga. – Georgia Southwestern was unable to slow a red-hot USC Beaufort squad Wednesday night, falling 95-74 in Peach Belt Conference men's basketball action inside the Storm Dome.
The Sand Sharks shot better than 55 percent from the field and never trailed, winning their fourth consecutive game, while the Hurricanes matched their longest losing streak of the season at two games.
Early Surge Sets the Tone for Second Consecutive Game
USC Beaufort wasted little time asserting control, opening the game with a 14-1 run over the first three minutes as the Sand Sharks capitalized on turnovers and pushed the pace in transition. GSW fell behind 13-3 out of gates on Saturday at No. 15 North Georgia.
The Hurricanes briefly settled in behind
Amir Reaves, but USC Beaufort answered every response. GSW trailed by as many as 15 points in the opening period and the visitors carried a 46-33 advantage into halftime after shooting 53 percent in the opening 20 minutes, including 50 percent from beyond the arc.
Reaves Leads Hurricanes
Reaves led Georgia Southwestern with 21 points, finishing 6 of 11 from the field and knocking down 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.
Deonte Williams added 13 points, six rebounds and three assists, while
Keshawn Brown Jr. chipped in 10 points off the bench.
JR Jacobs finished with eight points, six rebounds and four assists while logging a team-high 32 minutes.
Sand Sharks Create Separation After the Break
Any hopes of a second-half rally were quickly answered by USC Beaufort. The Sand Sharks outscored GSW 20-10 over a seven-minute stretch to push the lead past 20.
USCB knocked down timely three-pointers and continued to attack the paint, extending the advantage to as many as 24 points, its largest lead of the night.
Bench Depth, Efficiency Fuel USCB
USC Beaufort finished with 34 bench points and placed seven players in double figures or near it, led by Evan Kilminster's 16 points and Dominic Eason's 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Sand Sharks also turned 10 steals into 21 fast-break points and outscored GSW 15-2 in second-chance points, consistently converting extra opportunities.
Conference Grind Continues
GSW shot 42.4 percent from the field but was limited to 4 of 20 from three-point range, easily its worst night of the season from beyond the arc, while USC Beaufort connected on 50 percent (10-for-20) of its attempts from long range.
With the result, the Hurricanes move to 11-5 overall and 4-4 in Peach Belt play, while USC Beaufort improves to 12-4 overall and 6-3 in the conference.
Next Up
The Hurricanes continue conference play this weekend as they look to bounce back at home against Columbus State on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.
