AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Sparked by 41 bench points, four Jaguars scored in double figures Saturday afternoon to lead No. 3 Augusta State to a 84-46 Peach Belt Conference victory over the Lander in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
With the win, the third-ranked Jaguars extended their home game winning streak to 42 straight and their PBC home winning streak to 30 in a row. ASU has now won nine straight in the series with Lander.
The win lifted the Jags to 20-2 on the year, 10-2 in the conference. The Bearcats dropped to 8-12 overall and 1-11 in the league. With the victory, ASU established a new school record with its fifth consecutive 20-win season, breaking the previous mark of four set from 1967-68 through 1970-71.
Senior guard Caleb Brown came off the bench to score a game-high 23 points, while pulling down seven rebounds and nabbing two steals. Senior guard George Johnson scored 14 points and tied for a game-high seven rebounds. Senior Frank Ndongo netted 12 and sophomore guard Ben Purser booked 11 and also grabbed seven rebounds. Freshman reserve center Eric Schranz chipped in a career- high seven points.
Lander, who didn't place a player in double figures, got eight points each from Calvin Liptrot and David Pruett. Quentin Bastian and Tovi Bailey added 7 points each and Darion Canty led the visitors with five rebounds.
ASU's defense held the Bearcats to 20.8 percent shooting in the first half, allowing only 15 points in the period. Brown netted 13 points in the first half, including a 3-point bomb at the buzzer to give ASU a 45-15 halftime lead. The Jags limited Lander to 28.6 percent shooting overall and allowed their second-fewest points of the season and the fewest in league play.
ASU outrebounded the Bearcats 40-22, outscored them in the paint 32-12, and netted 28 points off turnovers to Lander's eight. The Jags shot 56.3 percent for the game and connected on 10-of-19 3-point attempts (52.6 percent). The Jags maintained their national lead in free-throw shooting by hitting on 21-of-25 attempts (84.0 percent).
The Jags are back in action on Monday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., against UNC Pembroke in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
