FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 1-10-01

Men's Basketball: Armstrong Atlantic State 65, Savannah State 57

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates took an 11-point lead at halftime and turned away a Savannah State second-half charge in keeping the Tigers winless with a 65-57 victory on Wednesday evening at SSU's Athletics and Recreation Complex.

The Pirates (11-5) opened up with the game's first six points and eventually stretched its lead to 13 points before halftime as senior guard Robert Campbell went 5-of-10 from the floor in the first half en route to 14 first-half points. In the second half, Savannah State (0-13) heated up behind Maurice Belle and eventually cut the lead to two, 48-46, with 8:20 remaining in the game, but the Pirates held the Tigers without a point for the next five minutes. After senior Greg Favors' three-point play with 2:46 left in the contest put the Pirates up by 10, 58-48, AASU scored the last seven points at the free throw line to come away with the eight-point victory.

Favors led the Pirates with 16 points and 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Campbell added 15 points while Belle led all scorers with 20 points for the Tigers. AASU shot 51.2 percent from the floor, the 12th time in 16 games the Pirates have hit over 50 percent of their shots.

The win was the fourth straight for the Pirates and also marked the first sweep of Savannah State since the Pirates took two from the Tigers during the 1974-75 season. The win also puts AASU up 17-13 in the overall series between the two cross-town rivals.

AASU returns to the court on Saturday, January 13 as they host Columbus State at 4:00 p.m. at Alumni Arena.

- Pirates -