AMERICUS, Ga. –
JR Jacobs delivered once again Wednesday night, but Georgia Southwestern couldn't find enough rhythm from the perimeter as the University of North Georgia claimed a 66-62 Peach Belt Conference victory inside the Storm Dome.
Jacobs poured in a game-high 22 points, marking his sixth 20-plus point performance of the season. But outside of Jacobs' shooting, the Hurricanes struggled from beyond the arc in one of their toughest perimeter nights of the year.
With the loss, UNG has now won five straight in the series and eight of the last nine meetings between the programs.
Jacobs Carries the Offense
Jacobs was efficient and aggressive throughout, finishing 8-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-8 from three-point range. He scored at key moments in the second half, including a late three-pointer with five seconds remaining to trim the deficit to two.
He also added five assists and four rebounds in a 36-minute effort.
Amir Reaves chipped in 19 points, attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line, while
Deonte Williams added eight points and nine rebounds.
Perimeter Problems
The difference came from long range.
Georgia Southwestern finished 7-of-34 (20.6 percent) from three-point territory — its second-lowest three-point percentage of the season. Outside of Jacobs' 4-of-8 performance, the rest of the team combined to shoot just 3-of-26 from beyond the arc.
The 62 points also marked the Hurricanes' third-lowest scoring output of the year.
Despite pulling down 17 offensive rebounds and generating 20 second-chance points, GSW was unable to convert consistently from the perimeter to swing momentum.
Playing From Behind
North Georgia controlled much of the contest, leading for over 36 minutes and building a first-half advantage that reached double digits at 23-10.
The Hurricanes fought back repeatedly in the second half. Jacobs' three-pointer at the 16:26 mark gave GSW its first lead of the night at 35-34, but the Nighthawks answered quickly and never relinquished control for long.
GSW trimmed the deficit to three with 15 seconds left on a
Rafael Rubel three-pointer, and Jacobs again cut it to two in the closing seconds. But clutch free throws from UNG sealed it.
What It Means
Georgia Southwestern falls to 15-8 overall and 8-7 in Peach Belt play, with the conference race tightening down the stretch.
Next Up
The Hurricanes close out the regular season with four of their final five games on the road, starting with a trip to USC Beaufort on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. game.
