Augusta, Ga. – The Augusta University Men's Basketball team picked up a win in their first Peach Belt matchup of the season, beating the Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes 77-68. The Jags are now 6-3 on the season with a 1-0 mark in PBC action, while the Hurricanes fall to 5-2 overall with an 0-1 mark in the Peach Belt.

Tyshaun Crawford won the opening tip off, sending it right to Rafael Monteiro who passed it off to Troy Cracknell for the game's first score a mere five seconds in. It would be a back and forth affair from that point on, as Augusta held a narrow 17-16 lead just past the halfway point of the first.

At 6:24, Shawn moss dropped in a pair of free throws to tie the game at 21, where it would stay until  Tyree Myers launched in a three-pointer from deep to give the Jags the lead.

The Hurricanes answered right back with a three-point basket of their own a few seconds later, but Cracknell sent one in from downtown to get the lead back.

Cracknell's three-pointer sparked a stellar run from the Augusta offense, as the Jags went on a late 9-0 run to put some distance between them and their foe. The Jags took a 39-32 lead into halftime.

The Hurricanes battled hard through the start of the second half, pulling the score to within three just past the five minute mark of the half. The Jags lead was cut to 48-47 less than a minute later, but Myers drained a three to get back some ground at 13:44.

After a momentary delay at 10:38, action resumed with Cracknell putting down three free throws to make it a 58-52 Augusta lead. He tacked on three more points with a laser from the back corner.

The Jags continued to hold their ground against the Hurricanes as the game rolled to a close, giving the Jags their first conference win of the season.

The Jags were led by Cracknell and Monteiro who each put up over 20 points on the night. Cracknell led the squad with 24 points with Monteiro the second leading scorer with 23. Monteiro also notched a double-double with 10 rebounds in the contest.

As a unit, the Jags were 22-of-44 from the field, including a seven-for-16 mark from past the three-point arch, and went 26-of-41 from the charity stripe.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Jags picked up 38 rebounds and swiped the ball away four times.

The Jags take on the Flagler Saints in their next matchup on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Christenberry Fieldhouse.