SAVANNAH, Ga.
– Top-ranked Augusta State University scored the first 13
points of the second half, erasing a one-point deficit and extended
their winning streak to 14 in a row with an 62-55 Peach Belt
Conference victory over Armstrong Atlantic State Wednesday night in
Alumni Arena.
Senior guard Fred Brathwaite paced the Jags with 17 points and
eight rebounds and senior guard Ben Madgen netted 13 points. Senior
point guard Daniel Dixon added 11 points and had three assists.
Senior Alex Smith snagged 10 rebounds and added nine points, while
senior forward Greg Hire tallied 10 rebounds and chipped in six
points.
David Pruett paced Armstrong Atlantic State with 16 points off the
bench. Patrick Shokpeka booked 14 points, while Chris Vanlandingham
snagged 10 rebounds. With the loss, the Pirates dropped to 5-8
overall and 0-4 in the PBC.
With the victory, the Jags extended the best start in school
history, improving to 14-0 overall and 6-0 in the PBC. ASU
stretched its regular-season winning streak to 23 games and its
conference streak to 15 straight.
Just 24 hours after the Jaguars earned the top spot in the national
rankings, the Pirates held a one-point halftime lead, 23-22, after
forcing Augusta State into just 32 percent shooting from the field
and seven turnovers.
As the second half began, however, Augusta State got three-pointers
from Madgen and Dixon in a 13-0 run to begin the half, and extended
that lead out to 14 points, 39-25, on a pair of Dixon free
throws.
The Pirates kept it at a 10 point lead or less for much of the
second half after that and got as close as six points with a
Gabriel Robinson layup with 20 seconds left, but Brathwaite got
free out of the full-court press and converted a dunk that put the
Jaguars back up by eight and sealed the victory.
The 62 points for Augusta State were a season-low on the year,
eclipsing the 68 they scored at Benedict in an early-season win.
The seven-point victory was also the closest margin of victory the
Jaguars have had this year.
The Jags travel to Valdosta, Ga., on Saturday, Jan. 16 to take on
Valdosta State in non-conference action at 4:00 p.m.
