AUGUSTA, GA – In an overtime thriller, Augusta fell to Lander 63-61 in the Peach Belt Conference tournament quarterfinals at Christeberry Fieldhouse Wednesday night. The Jaguars are 20-9 while the Bearcats improve to 14-12 and will play in the semifinals at North Georgia.

The Jaguars led for most of the game, but Lander stormed back in the fourth quarter and took a 38-37 lead, their first lead since early in the first quarter. That final quarter was a back-and-forth battle as Augusta would tie it on a pair of free throws by Elyse Autry with 1:47 left. AU had a chance at the end of regulation, but a pair of shots were off the mark.

In the overtime, Quinasia Abercrombie, who finished with a game high 23 points, made the first basket to give the Jags the early lead. But the Bearcats would respond with a three-pointer and a basket and foul, giving them a 55-51 lead.  Sierra Burns made a free throw to cut the lead to two, but Lander would then score four straight points to post a 61-55 lead.



After a Burns basket, Mone Florence hit a deep three-pointer to make it 63-60 Lander. AU had a chance with under a second left, but two of  free throws were off the mark as the Bearcats got the win.

Augusta shot 37% for the game and were 2 of 17 from three-point territory. Lander also out rebounded Augusta by a 41-34 margin.

The Jaguars led 24-17 at the half, but the Bearcats would draw close late in the third quarter. They proceeded to outscore AU 18-12 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Abercrombie was the only Jaguar in double figures. Amari Jackson added nine points and Florence finished with seven points.

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