AUGUSTA, Ga. – The GRU Augusta men's basketball team stormed out to a 9-0 lead on Wednesday night and never looked back to defeat Coastal Georgia 79-59 in a non-conference game in Christenberry Fieldhouse for Health Center Credit Union night.

Recording his first double-double of his Jaguar career was senior Henry McCarthy with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Devon Wright-Nelson also posted a double-double with a game-high 18 points and 13 boards. The Jags defense was stifling - holding the Mariners off the scoreboard through the first five minutes of the game.

The Jaguars (3-0) opened a nine point lead against Coastal Georgia (2-4) - thanks to a D'Angelo Boyce jump shot four minutes into the game. GRU grew their lead to 31-14 when Keith Crump nailed a jumper with five minutes left in the first. Wright-Nelson capped the Jaguars first half late, stealing the ball and scoring an uncontested layup to make it 33-16.

McCarthy finished with a tip in giving the Jags a 20 point lead to end the first half. McCarthy also passed his career high of rebounds in a game with eight in the first half alone. GRU Augusta had three runs of five or more unanswered points in the first half, while holding Coastal Georgia to just a 29 percent field-goal percentage. GRU produced five steals, caused seven turnovers and totaled 14 points off the Coastal Georgia mistakes.

Wright-Nelson started the Jaguars off on the right foot in the second half, nailing a deep three pointer at the top of the arc. Later in the second, Keshun Sherrill stole the ball and raced to the basket for an uncontested layup to push the Jaguar lead to 24 points for their largest lead of the night. Late in the contest Tamyrik Fields came off the bench and scored a fast-break layup making the score 77-53 with just two minutes left. The Jaguars would cruise to finish up the game winning, 79-59.

GRU outrebounded the Mariners 44-32 and shot 46.9 percent from the floor to Coastal Keith Crump had 13 points and four rebounds and Keshun Sherrill added 10 points and two rebounds. Coastal Georgia was led by Reggie Burke who scored 16 points and had six rebounds. Andrew Reid scored 12 points and added three rebounds.

The Jaguars host Valdosta State at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26 for another single non-conference game in Christenberry Fieldhouse.

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