Men's College Basketball: AASU 71, North Georgia 65 ; Women's Basketball: AASU 78, North Georgia 70

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1-6-07

Men's College Basketball: AASU 78, North Georgia 70
Women's College Basketball: AASU 71, North Georgia 65

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State men’s and women’s basketball squads completed a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader sweep of visiting North Georgia on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. The Pirate men knocked off a short-handed Saint squad, 78-70, while the women’s team held off the Lady Saints’ second-half charge to pick up a 71-65 win.

Armstrong Atlantic dished out 21 assists in the men’s eight-point victory over a North Georgia squad that dressed just nine players for Saturday’s game. The Pirates (11-2, 2-0 PBC) jumped out to a 12-point halftime lead and kept North Georgia (4-9, 0-2 PBC) at bay for most of the second half as the Saints did not get within single digits until there were 16 seconds left in the game. AASU placed three players in double figures, led by seniors Tory Harris and Bryan Taylor, who chipped in 12 points apiece. Patrick Sanou registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds to go with four blocked shots. North Georgia was led by Xavier Trice’s game-high 30 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-4 three-pointers, as well as 9-of-14 from the free throw line.

In the women’s contest, the Lady Pirates dominated the glass in the first half in building a 15-point halftime lead, 39-24, on the Lady Saints, but North Georgia embarked on a 20-2 run in the second half to trim down a 21-point lead with 15:44 remaining to just three points, 51-48, with 10:33 left. The Lady Saints trimmed the lead to two, 62-60, with 2:42 left, but back-to-back baskets by Kaneetha Gordon stretched the lead back to six, and the Pirates clinched the win at the free throw line, making 4-of-6 in the final 20 seconds. Gordon registered her 10^th double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds while adding four blocked shots. Tana Griffiths added 11 points for the Lady Pirates (8-5, 2-0 PBC), while the Lady Saints placed three players in double figures, led by Mega Huffman’s 17 points and seven steals. Porsha White (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Syretha Marble (11 points, 13 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles for the Lady Saints (5-7, 0-2 PBC).

AASU returns to action on Wednesday, January 10, with a PBC doubleheader at preseason league favorites Clayton State at 5:30 p.m. (women) and 7:30 p.m. (men).

-Pirates-