Box Score Jags earn No. 2 seed in PBC East, host PBC Quarterfinals Feb. 28
AIKEN, S.C. – In their third overtime game of the season, the Augusta Jaguars outscored rival USC Aiken 14-2 in extra time to win an 81-69 Peach Belt Conference battle for their final regular-season game of the season on the road in the Convocation Center.
Augusta (21-7, 14-5 PBC) earned the No. 2 seed in the PBC East Division and will host the first round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with a quarterfinal game against No. 3 seed North Georgia on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 2:00 p.m. in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
In the regular season, the Jags went 10-3 on the road and 11-3 at home in Christenberry Fieldhouse. With the win over USCA, the Jags won all three overtime games they played in the 2015-16 regular-season.
Augusta senior Kariel Hutt took a go-ahead lead on a turnaround jumper under a minute in regulation, but the Pacers forced overtime with a single free throw for a 67-all tie. The Jags owned extra time, only allowing a bucket to seal the late win.
Senior Camille Gee led the Jags with 18 points – highlighted by four from beyond the arc. Ranked in the top five in scoring in the PBC, junior Breonna O'Conner had 16 points and nine rebounds, Hutt, ranked sixth in the league in scoring, had 13 points and nine boards, and sophomore Cynara Pitt 12 points with six rebounds. Senior Lonna Turner scored nine while grabbing seven rebounds.
Augusta shot an even 50 percent from the floor and held the Pacers (9-19, 4-15 PBC) to 36 percent shooting from field-goal range. The charity stripe also played a difference with the Jags connecting on 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) to USCA's 6-of-12 (50 percent) on the night.
The Jags opened on a 9-0 run, capped by O'Conner's back-to-back baskets to start the game. USC Aiken got on the board for an 11-2 game and at the conclusion of the first quarter the Jags remained on top with a 16-6 score.
The Pacers cut it within four on Carly Gilreath's third three pointer of the game at the 6:10 mark in the second period. Gilreath finished the game with 19 bench points to pace the Pacers.
Augusta let Aiken back into a tight contest in the final minutes before halftime and a Jasmine Coach jumper gave the Pacers their first lead of the night before Alexis Ware hit a trey for a 34-30 USCA lead at the break. There were 10 lead changes in the game.
Ware hit the opening shot of the second half while Hutt got the Jags moving with two interior shots off the glass for a two-point game. O'Conner gave the lead back to Augusta with 6:19 in the third period and they held the advantage heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
The Pacers tied the game 51-all on Mariah Durian's three ball and the game was back-and-forth in the final five minutes. Augusta Head Coach Nate Teymer called a timeout with 3:20 left in regulation after USCA jumped up by six.
Jags junior Kayla Lovett hit a jumper in the lane and the Pacers missed two free throws that would have put them up by six with under 2:30 to go. Sophomore Cynara Pitt made it a one-point game for Augusta and Hutt's turnaround jumper took a 67-66 lead.
The Pacers hit a free throw to force OT and the Jags turned on the defense to outlast USCA and hand them their second loss of the season.
Fans of Jaguar Athletics can subscribe to the email listserve by clicking here. Fans can follow Augusta University at www.AugustaJags.com and receive short updates on Facebook atAugusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags
-- 30 --
