3Dahlonega, Ga. -  Elías Pálsson poured in a game high 27 points and Evan Joyner added 23 points as Augusta University upset No. 24 North Georgia 83-72 Wednesday night. The Jaguars improve to 4-6 in Peach Belt Conference play and 9-11 overall. The Nighthawks are 5-5 in conference action and 11-5 overall. 

The Jaguars led for 36 minutes of the game and had a 38-31 lead at the half. The Nighthawks did get within four points on a couple of occasions in the second half, but Augusta would always have the answer and would lead by as many as 13 points.

AU shot 49% from the field and held North Georgia to 41% shooting. The biggest difference came from the three-point line where AU went 10 of 24 and made five more than North Georgia. 

Five different Jaguars contributed from beyond the arc with Pálsson making 3 of 8. DaRon Dunbar, making his first start of the year, hit 3 of 4 from deep and accounted for nine points. Dunbar had two early triples to get the AU offense off and running. Matias Zanotto added a pair of three-pointers and finished with 10 points for the game. 

The Nighthawks would get within four points with 13 minutes to play in the game, but Augusta would quickly extend that lead to double figures. Joyner would get a tip-in basket followed by a Dunbar three-pointer. Zanotto would add a pair of triples in a 40 second span that gave AU the separation they needed. 

Kyndon Wilburg made his first start of the year and dished out five assists and scored five points. Five Jaguars accounted for five or more rebounds in the victory.

Augusta will now travel to St. Augustine, Fl. on Saturday when they will square off with Flagler at 3:30 p.m.

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