AMERICUS, Ga. – Augusta State outscored Georgia Southwestern 9-2 over the final 3:16 Saturday afternoon and claimed a 52-43 Peach Belt Conference road win in the Storm Dome.
ASU improved to 12-10 overall and 7-8 in the PBC, while the Hurricanes dropped to 12-12 on the season and 8-9 in the league. The victory was the first road win in conference play in over a month for the Jags, who edged Francis Marion 77-74 on Jan. 2 in Florence, S.C.
ASU junior guard Ryan Weems registered a game-high 18 points and sophomore Devon Wright-Nelson booked 11 points and six rebounds. Sophomore D'Angelo Boyce notched 10 points and three assists and senior Travis Keels contributed four points, four blocks and a pair of steals.
Matt Shaw led the Hurricanes with 14 points and seven rebounds and Daryl Davis chipped in 11 points.
The Jags led 27-20 at the half and pushed their lead to as much as 11 following a Wright-Nelson 3-pointer and a Michael Graham layup in the first 3:22 of the second half. GSW countered with an 11-0 run in a span of 4:21 and tied the game at 35-all on a trey from Davis. After an ASU timeout, Devonte Thomas drove in for a layup to give the Jags the lead back for good. Graham tacked on two free throws for a 39-35 lead. Southwestern twice got within two of the lead, but each time ASU responded.
With only seven players seeing action, the Jags were forced to spread the floor for most of the game. The strategy paid off, as ASU got consecutive layups by Weems and Boyce. Wright-Nelson connected on a jump hook in the lane with 3:16 to play for a 45-41 lead. Following two missed GSW free throws, Wright-Nelson and Weems again drove inside for baskets to put ASU in front 49-41 with 1:58 left. Boyce and Weems hit 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch for the final margin.
The Jags shot 51.4 percent for the game – 56.3 percent in the second half -- and eclipsed the 50 percent mark for the first time since Nov. 25 in a 96-57 victory over Coastal Georgia in the second game of the season.
ASU returns home to Christenberry Fieldhouse to take on Lander in a PBC contest on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m.