AUGUSTA, Ga. - Despite sophomore guard Devonte Thomas tying a career-high in scoring with 27, the Augusta State Jaguars suffered a 70-73 home loss to the Flagler Saints on Thursday, Jan. 17 in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
The loss dropped ASU to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the PBC, while the victory moved Flagler to 7-7 on the season and 3-4 in the conference.
The Jags were led by Thomas' game-high 27 points, including five buckets from behind the arc. Devon Wright-Nelson contributed 12 points and a team-leading eight rebounds. D'Angelo Boyce handed out a game-high eight assists, while Ryan Weems nabbed four steals.
The Saints had four players in double figures. Leading the way was guard Matt Clark who notched 20 points, while forward Ante Gospic scored 19, pulling down a game-high nine rebounds.
The Jaguars maintained a lead through most of the first half, going up 26-15, with 4:28 and ended the half with an eight point advantage.
The Jags kept the lead through most of the second off a layup by Thomas giving ASU a nine point lead with 10:57 on the clock. The Saints claimed the lead at 54-52, with 6:23 left, after back-to-back baskets.
Free throws by senior Travis Keels knotted the contest again and ASU pulled away by five on a steal and layup by Ryan Weems.
The Saints took a six point lead on a free throw by Richard Brown, but he missed his second attempt. The Jags claimed the rebound on the miss and Boyce canned a three point bucket. Weems then stole the ball and hit a basket to pull it within one with a minute remaining.
Flagler hit all six of their free throw attempts over the last minute of the game. Wright-Nelson scored a layup with 30 seconds remaining, but Flagler canned two foul shots on the next possession.
Wright-Nelson again took the ball to the basket, but was fouled on the miss. He canned two from the stripe to decrease the lead to one with 20 seconds left.
D'Angelo Boyce stole the ball on the inbound pass, but the Saints' Clark returned the favor, taking the ball from Thomas with seven seconds on the clock.
Ryan Weems stole the ball again from Flagler's Jarrod Branco, but Branco claimed a steal from Boyce and was fouled by Weems with a little over a second remaining. Branco hit both shots from the foul line to put Flagler back up 73-70 for the win.
The Jags will rest one day before a conference clash at North Georgia on Saturday, Jan. 19 in Memorial Hall Basketball Gymnasium at 3:30 p.m
