FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-16-05

Men's Basketball: GC&SU 59, AASU 54
Women's Basketball: GC&SU 92, AASU 81

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga - Andre Smith hit six free throws with less than 40 seconds remaining to help Georgia College & State University knock off Armstrong Atlantic State University 59-54 Wednesday night in the Centennial Center. GC&SU swept the Peach Belt Conference doubleheader as LaWanna Leon scored a career high 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lift the GC&SU Lady Bobcats to a 92-81 victory over the AASU Lady Pirates earlier in the evening.

In the men’s game, GC&SU (12-12, 4-9 PBC) and Armstrong Atlantic State (13-11, 5-8 PBC) saw the lead change hands a dozen times in the second half, mostly in the final five minutes. GC&SU took its final lead at 53-51 on a three pointer from Bryan Harrison with 2:14 to play. The Pirates kept within a basket each possession, but GC&SU’s Smith twice hit both ends of one-and-one at the free throw line, and then hit two more from the stripe to put the game away in the 59-54 win to snap a three game losing streak. Smith finished with a game-high 19 points and was 10-for-10 from the line for the game.

The Bobcats hit an eye-popping 93% (13-14) from the charity stripe for the game, including a perfect 12-for-12 in the second half. The Pirates shot 44% (21-48) from the floor for the game, including 50% (10-20) in the second half, but the Bobcats won the battle under the boards by out-rebounding AASU 34-28.

In addition to Smith, Harrison also finished in double figures for the Bobcats with 16 points. Lorenzo Lawrence led the Pirates with 17 points, while Bryan Taylor added 13 points.

In the women’s game, GC&SU (16-8, 7-6 PBC) used an 8-0 run to jump out to a ten point lead midway through the first half, thanks mostly to Leon, who hit seven of her first eight shots. The Lady Bobcats led by as many as 13 points in the frame, but Armstrong Atlantic State (17-10, 7-6 PBC) hit seven consecutive three point attempts and cut the deficit to just three points at 45-42 at the intermission. Leon led GC&SU with 19 points and eight rebounds at the break, while Jasmine Herron had 12 to lead the Lady Pirates at the intermission. AASU hit 47.1% (8-17) from behind the arc in the first half.

GC&SU used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to build a 63-48 advantage, and a three pointer by Ashley Williams a few minutes later put the Lady Bobcats up by twenty points. GC&SU led by as many as 21 points before the Lady Pirates battled back with several more three pointers to make things interesting. GC&SU shot 46% (32-70) from the floor and 47.1% (8-17) from three point range for the game, while the Lady Pirates cooled off in the second half and finished at 39.1% (27-69) from the floor, and 39% (12-31) from behind the arc.

Leon led GC&SU with her third double-double of the season and was one of five Lady Bobcats to score in double figures. Kirsti Jones added 18 points, and Williams finished with 14 points. Cassie Miliner and Tiffany Wingo chipped in with 11 points apiece. Jasmine Herron hit six three-pointers and led AASU with 32 points, while Alicia Durham added 14 points.

GC&SU travels to Florence, SC, on Saturday for a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at Francis Marion University beginning at 2 p.m.

-Pirates-