AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Ben Madgen's driving
layup with 1.5 seconds to go gave Augusta State a 74-72 Peach Belt
Conference victory over Armstrong Atlantic State Saturday night in
Christenberry Fieldhouse.
The win was the fifth straight for ASU over the Pirates and lifted
the 10th-ranked Jaguars (10-2 overall, 4-1 in the PBC) into a
first-place tie in the PBC standings with USC Aiken. The loss was
only the second for AASU (10-2, 3-2).
Madgen paced ASU with 23 points, while fellow junior Fred
Brathwaite posted his second double-double, netting career highs in
scoring and rebounding (20 points and 12 boards). Junior Greg Hire
notched a career-best 13 points as well. Senior center Garret Siler
was limited to just six points and added three blocks.
Brian Moultrie and Dwight Tolbert had 15 points each for the
Pirates, while Gabriel Johnson managed 11 and Calvin Wilson and
Keron McKenzie chipped in 10 each.
Madgen and Brathwaite combined to score the last 11 points for ASU.
A Brathwaite layup at the 1:48 mark got ASU within 72-70 and two
Brathwaite free throws with 57 seconds left tied the game at
72-all. After the Pirates' T.T. Hall was called for a palming
violation with 28 seconds remaining, ASU held for the last shot.
Madgen drove the right side of the lane and his layup off the glass
with 1.5 ticks left proved to be the difference.
With the win, the Jags matched the best 12-game start since the
1977-78 season. ASU improved to 51-9 at home under head coach Dip
Metress and to 33-7 under Metress in league play in Christenberry
Fieldhouse.
ASU returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 14, traveling to
Greenwood, S.C., to take on Peach Belt Conference foe Lander at
7:30 p.m. in Finis Horne Arena.