AIKEN, S.C. – Junior Devon Wright-Nelson answered Anderson's game-tying 3-pointer on a layup with five seconds left to give the GRU Augusta Jaguars an 86-84 win in the opening game for the Jags in the NCAA Southeast Regional in Aiken, S.C., Saturday night in the Convocation Center.

The Jags improved to 24-7 with the postseason win and advance to the 7:30 p.m. semifinal game tomorrow night against Peach Belt Conference rival USC Aiken. The Jags handed the USCA Pacers their last loss in 2014 on Feb. 1 with a 97-84 win in Aiken.

Anderson (22-10) senior guard Chandler Hash, who racked up 42 against the Jags on Nov. 10 in Christenberry Fieldhouse, hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 84-all with 17 seconds remaining. No team called for a timeout as the Jags marched down the court and found a wide open Wright-Nelson, who kissed the glass with a layup to steal an 86-84 game.

Seven seconds into the game, Hash made his first trey, but got into early foul trouble as GRU took over. Building a steady lead, the Jaguars climbed 12-3 with a Ryan Weems trey at the 15-minute mark. AU nailed 3-pointers in back-to-back possessions to steal a 14-12 lead. Both teams answered point-for-point from the charity stripe leading to a 24-all tie. Devonte Thomas' 3-pointer gave a slight advantage to GRU, but AU cut it to one with 1:37 to go after two offensive GRU fouls. CJ Gleaton hit two Trojans free throws to take a 39-38 lead, their first since the 9:15 mark.

Down by a bucket, Devon Wright-Nelson found D'Angelo Boyce on the perimeter for him to hit the seventh 3-pointer for the Jags in the first half. At the break, GRU held a 43-39 advantage despite getting to the free-throw line twice. Weems had 11 at the pause, while Gleaton had 12 for AU.

AU made it a one-basket affair twice, but Wright-Nelson made a three before he banked a one-handed jumper off the glass to give GRU their second biggest lead of the night, up eight. The Jags got a bit trigger happy, missing five-straight treys for AU to cut it to four with 8:36 remaining. Weems was knocked down on a three attempt and made all of them at the charity stripe for his 17th points. Wright-Nelson's second 3-pointer made it 71-65, but Hash hit his third from downtown for a 71-68 score.

Hash and Weems traded 3-pointers and Wright-Nelson, with a hand in his face, hit a deep one from the corner to rebuild a seven-point advantage. Both teams combined for 24 3-pointers (12 each) in the game, with the Jags shooting 42.9 from the arc and AU 46.2. With a 79-76 lead, Wright-Nelson grabbed an offensive board on a missed free throw and took the foul, resulting in two points for GRU. Myson Jones hit a desperation three with 37 seconds left for a one-point game, but Jaguar free throws put them up 84-81. Hash made it interesting when he made his fifth 3-pointer to tie the game with GRU's KJ Sherrill putting two hands in his face.

The Jags would find Wright-Nelson at the end of the floor to end the Trojans' season. Wright-Nelson led all scorers with 28 points, matching his second-career best performance. Weems added 22 and Doby put up eight points with 10 rebounds. Gleaton scored 24 for AU while Hash and Jones each totaled 21.

Tip off between the Jags and Pacers begins at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night in Aiken, S.C.