AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University men's basketball never trailed on Tuesday night, using a dominant first-half stretch and strong interior play to defeat Converse 78-67 inside Christenberry Fieldhouse on Healthcare Heroes Night.
Augusta (3-4, 0-0 Peach Belt)
FG% 42.9
3PT% 23.8
FT% 75.8
Converse (1-3, 0-1 Conference Carolinas)
FG% 40.7
3PT% 39.1
FT% 70.0
Augusta opened the game on a 20-4 run and led 40-28 at halftime, controlling the boards and the paint while holding Converse to 34.6% shooting in the opening period. The Jaguars finished with a 41-28 rebounding advantage and turned 13 offensive boards into 15 second-chance points.
Luis Nonfon paced Augusta with 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting and added eight rebounds in 31 minutes. Elias Palsson scored 12 points and chipped in four rebounds and three assists, while fellow starter Matias Zanotto added 10 points and four boards.
Rodney Scott filled the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds, and two assists, and Charlie McBeath contributed eight points, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Off the bench, Tobias Prall scored eight points and went 5-for-7 at the free throw line, while Camryn Pacheco and TJ Baker provided a spark in the first-half surge.
Augusta shot 42.9% from the field and 75.8% at the line, converting 25 of 33 free-throw attempts. Converse was led by Jordyn Surratt's 20 points and four rebounds, and Will Fowler added 15 points.
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 at Augusta University Athletics and on Twitter at @AugustaJags