AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta State freshman D'Angelo Boyce and senior Tye Beal drained clutch free throws in the final minute Wednesday night to clinch a 76-72 victory over Peach Belt Conference foe UNC Pembroke in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
The win moved the Jaguars (12-7 overall, 8-3 PBC) past UNCP and into second place in the East Division behind USC Aiken. It also marked ASU's 20th straight victory in the series with the Braves (12-7, 6-3). The victory was also the fourth straight for the Jags, who have won seven of their last eight.
The Braves built an early 13-5 lead as the Jags endured a scoreless stretch of over five minutes. But ASU battled back, reclaiming the lead with 8:56 to go on a jumper by Harold Doby and embarking on a 10-0 run highlighted by Devon Wright-Nelson's 3-pointer and seven made free throws by the Jags to take a 35-26 lead into halftime.
ASU pushed its lead to double-digits right out the gate in the second half, increasing it to as many as 14 on two more free throws, this time from Devonte Thomas. But the Braves began to chip away at the lead, cutting it to four with 44 seconds remaining on Marcus Heath's jumper.
The game wasn't put away until the Braves fouled Beal, who calmly stepped to the line and swished two to make the score 74-69 with 11 seconds left.
ASU's final tally of 76 was the most points the Jags have scored since a 92-55 win on December 14 at Flagler.
"Free throws helped us win the game," said ASU head coach Dip Metress. "We're definitely pleased to go 6-1 down the stretch."
The Jaguars, playing for the seventh time in the last 14 days, shot only 37.5 percent from the field, including 8-of-23 in the second half, but hit a season-best 31-of-36 (86.1 percent) from the charity stripe. ASU also canned 9-of-23 (39.1 percent) from behind the arc.
The Braves shot slightly better at 44.6 percent on 25-of-56 shooting and also shot well from the free throw line, making 15-of-19 on the night, but they attempted 17 less than the Jags.
Wright-Nelson paced the Jags with 17 points, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the charity stripe. O'Neal Armstrong booked 15 points, hitting 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 6-of-6 from the line, and handing out five assists. Freshman Devonte Thomas scored 11, while fellow freshman Boyce handed out a game-high eight assists.
The Braves' Ben Jacobs recorded a game-high 20 points, all in the second half. Three other Braves scored 12 points each: Shahmel Brackett, Marcus Heath, and George Blakeney.
ASU hits the road on Saturday, Jan. 28, traveling to Montevallo, Ala., to take on the West Division-leading Falcons at 4:30 p.m., (EST) at BankTrust Arena.
