DAHLONEGA, Ga.
– Augusta State senior forward Alex Smith led four players in
double figures with 18 points Monday night as the Jaguars posted an
85-62 Peach Belt Conference victory over North Georgia in Memorial
Hall.
With the victory, the third-ranked Jags extended the best start in
school history, improving to 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the PBC. ASU
stretched its regular-season winning streak to 20 games and its
conference streak to 12 straight.
The victory was also the fourth straight in the series vs. the
Saints.
ASU senior guard Ben Madgen booked 17 points and broke the
PBC's career scoring record, previously held by Francis
Marion's Carlton Farr. With an offensive rebound and putback
at the 9:29 mark of the second half, Madgen tallied his 15th point
of the night to overtake Farr (1,863 points). With 1,866 career
points, Madgen trails former ASU standout Derek Stewart (1,895) by
29 points for the school scoring mark.
Senior guard Fred Brathwaite booked 14 points and two blocks and
senior point guard Daniel Dixon netted 13 points and four assists.
Senior forward Greg Hire chipped in six points and snagged a
career-high 12 rebounds.
Michael Moynihan scored a game-high 20 points for the Saints, while
Carl Taylor added 11.
The Jags sprinted out to a 12-2 lead behind six points from Smith
in first four minutes of the game and never trailed. ASU led by as
much as 12 in the first half after a Dixon steal and layup at the
13:37 mark. NGCSU got as close as three on a pair of occasions
before the Jags closed the half on a 12-4 run over the final 6:08.
ASU outscored the Saints 15-4 in the first 6:09 of the second half
and the hosts never got closer than 16 the rest of the way.
The Jags shot 51 percent from the field and limited North Georgia
to 32.8 percent shooting, a season-low for an opponent. ASU, which
connected on 20-of-23 free-throw attempts, outscored the Saints
38-20 in the paint and owned a 46-33 rebounding edge.
The Jags host league newcomer Flagler College on Wednesday, Jan. 6
at 7:30 p.m., in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
