AUGUSTA, Ga. – The GRU Augusta men's basketball team capped the 2014 year with 83-70 win over Wingate in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon in Christenberry Fieldhouse.

Due to traffic congestion on the interstate near Augusta there was a 45-minute delay before tip-off.

However, GRU (9-2, 1-1 PBC) kept its focus and returned to winning form after dropping the first conference game of the season to Peach Belt foe Montevallo on Dec. 20. The Jags avoided back to back losses and will carry momentum into 2015.

The New Year's Eve matchup put the Jags and Bulldogs (7-4) against each other for the first time in six years. The last time the two programs met (Dec. 16, 2008) the Jags came out victorious, 78-65, in Christenberry. Wednesday's triumph brought the Jags to 2-1 against the Bulldogs with Head Coach Dip Metress at the helm.

In the first half the Jags came out red-hot from downtown, shooting an extremely efficient 80 percent from beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Keshun Sherrill set the pace early by scoring the first eight points for an 8-0 advantage over the Bulldogs.

Although, the Bulldogs climbed within one following a trey from guard Ryan Dye. The Bulldogs were able to keep the score differential within five until the 9:59 mark. A D'Angelo Boyce three pushed the score to 25-17 and by the end of the first period the Jags were able to build a 50-26 led behind a barrage of three-pointers from Boyce, Keith Crump and Devonte Thomas.

To end the first half, Sherrill took a steal in for a layup as the game clock expired for the Jags to finish the period with 14 points.

During the second half the Jags remained aggressive. Four minutes into the second Crump found Boyce for another downtown shot to give GRU their largest lead of the contest, 60-33.

The Bulldogs didn't show life until 2:49 was left to go when forward Isiah Cureton tipped in his own missed shot to make the score to 64-77, and the Bulldogs big man Keith Griffin connected on a two-pointer to bring the team within 11.

Nevertheless, the Bulldogs ran out of time before completing the comeback, and the Jags secured the 13-point win.

The Jags ended the afternoon shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 69.2 from beyond the arc. Sherrill paced the Jags with 18 points, followed closely by Thomas' 16. Henry McCarthy also scored in double-digits with 13, along with Boyce, who had 11.

The Jags play two Peach Belt Conference games on the road at UNC Pembroke Jan. 3 and at Francis Marion on Jan. 5, before returning to Christenberry Fieldhouse on Jan. 7 to host the North Georgia Nighthawks.

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