GREENEVILLE, Tenn. -- Augusta State rallied from an early deficit Saturday afternoon to pick up a 54-41 non-conference victory at Tusculum in the SAC/PBC Challenge in Pioneer Arena.
With the win, the Jaguars posted a 2-0 mark in the tourney. Earlier in the day, Anderson edged Clayton State 70-69 in overtime on Denzail Jones' layup with nine seconds remaining. The Lakers and Trojans each posted a 1-1 record while host Tusculum went 0-2.
The victory was ASU's seventh straight road win and 12th consecutive, regular-season win dating back to last season.
Senior forward Franck Ndongo led the Jags offensively, connecting on 5-of-10 field-goal attempts for 14 points. Senior guard Caleb Brown, junior guard Tye Beal and sophomore guard Ben Purser booked eight points each. Ndongo and senior guard George Johnson each grabbed four rebounds.
Beal collected four assists while senior forward Howard Brown and freshman forward Eric Schranz each snagged a pair of steals.
Justin Steigerwald was Tusculum's only player in double figures with 13 points.
The Jags, who dressed only nine players for the second straight day, trailed 18-11 after a Rob Troutman 3-pointer with 8:42 left in the first half. Purser then drained a trey and Caleb Brown delivered a three-point play to spark a 16-1 run to close the half and give ASU a 27-19 lead. Purser and Beal combined for 13 points and drained three treys during the spurt.
The Pioneers pulled within 29-23 three minutes into the second before ASU countered with a 7-0 spurt that included a Beal three-point play and jumpers from Johnson and Caleb Brown. TC got no closer than seven the rest of the way as the Jags drained 11-of-13 free throws over the final seven minutes.
ASU shot just 37 percent in the game, but connected on 18-of-23 free throws. The Pioneers owned the rebounding edge 29-26, but suffered 17 turnovers compared to only 10 miscues by the Jags. Both teams were a combined 0-of-11 from long range in the second half.
ASU makes its home debut on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 6:00 p.m., vs. Benedict (S.C.) College in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
