FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12-18-07

Day Two Wrapup: 2007 Chatham Orthopedics Holiday Classic

The Lady Pirates (7-2) played the most exciting game of the day against Mars Hill (5-3) in a 66-64 win. AASU hit eight first-half three-pointers to build a 40-28 halftime lead against the Lions, but in the second half, Mars Hill went on a 19-3 run to erase a 51-42 deficit and turn it into a 61-54 lead with 3:34 remaining. AASU battled back, turning in a 10-3 run of its own to tie the game at 64-all with 1:38 left. Dartayvia Thomas made one of two free throws with 17 seconds remaining, and Classic MVP Kaneetha Gordon rebounded a missed shot by Shannon Lee with three seconds left to preserve the victory. Gordon finished the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Lacey Willis notched a game-high 20 points and also earned All-Tournament honors. Ariel Okunowo led Mars Hill with 18 points and Allison Schafer chipped in 17 points with both players also earning spots on the All-Tournament team.

On the men’s side, Armstrong Atlantic (5-2) held Lenoir-Rhyne (6-2) to under 30 percent shooting from the floor in picking up a 56-45 win over the Bears. The game remained close until the Pirates went on a 12-2 run late in the second half, extending a 44-41 lead with 6:03 left to 56-43 on a T.T. Hall three-pointer with 1:44 remaining. Patrick Sanou collected a double-double to lead the Pirates with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Hall added 12 points and Will Kane dished out eight assists. Lenoir-Rhyne was led by Reggie Bratton’s 17 points off the bench and Marcus Hodges’ 14 points.

The first men’s game of the day saw Columbus State (4-6) shake off the hangover of a 29-point loss on Tuesday to erase a 19-point first-half deficit to West Georgia (6-4) and come up with the 78-73 victory. With the score tied at 72-all in the final minute, the Cougars’ Javarus Stewart hit a pull-up jumper in the lane to put the Cougars up by two, then Maurice Arnold picked a pass and went coast-to-coast for the game-clinching dunk. Stewart’s 14 points led a quintet of Cougars in double figures, while Paul Harper’s 15 points led four West Georgia players in double figures.

In the first women’s game, Concord (5-2) closed out the first half on an 11-0 run to build a 35-22 halftime lead over Queens (0-9), then cruise to the 74-58 victory. Samm Nester led the Mountain Lions for the second consecutive game with 20 points, while Becca Flanagan chipped in 19. Both players were named to the All-Tournament team. Queens was led by Ashley McGuirt’s 12 points, while All-Tournament honoree Marissa Hudley chipped in 10.

The AASU men’s and women’s teams break for Christmas, but the Pirate men will be back in action on Friday, December 28, with the Spring Hill Suites Midtown New Year Classic, hosting Virginia State at 7:30 p.m.

- Pirates -