North Georgia eyes fourth straight win at Clayton State

DAHLONEGA, GA – North Georgia College & State University fought off the charging Hurricanes to put their third straight game in the win column with a 69-59 victory over visiting Georgia Southwestern State University Monday evening in Peach Belt Conference action.

The Hurricanes fall to 7-17 overall and 4-13 in Peach Belt Conference play on the year as North Georgia walks away with the season sweep of the Hurricanes while improving to 15-9 and 10-7 in PBC play.

The Saints used balanced scoring once again in the victory with four players scoring in double figures and eight players with at least a bucket. Nick Pope led North Georgia with 13 points, while Andre Morgan added the only double double of the game with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Anthony Rowe and Lee Burrell got in on the scoring with 11 and 10 points respectively, while Xavier Trice tallied nine points with 3-6 shooting from behind the arc.

Travis Owsley led all scorers with 21 points and five rebounds for the Hurricanes, while Anthony Sargent added 19 points and four rebounds.

North Georgia shot 40.9 percent from behind the arc in the game, compared to a dismal 11.9 percent for the Hurricanes. The Saints outscored GSW by 21 points behind the arc, while the Hurricanes out rebounded the Saints 35-34.

The Saints controlled much of the game, only trailing on two occasions by less than 30-seconds each time before regaining the lead. Pope gave North Georgia their largest lead of the game at 69-57 with 2:26 remaining; the last point the Saints would need in the 10-point win.

North Georgia (15-9, 10-7 PBC) returns to action on Wednesday, February 20, at Clayton State for another Peach Belt Conference match-up at 7:30 p.m. as they look for a season sweep against the Lakers.