>>>FULL NOTES

THE GAME
The Georgia College men's basketball team opens up the home portion of the 2014-15 schedule Saturday, Nov. 22 at 3:30 p.m., hosting Clark Atlanta University (0-3, 0-0 SIAC) in non-conference action. Catch the broadcast on the HomeTeam Country102FM and SportsRadio 1450AM; GC Hall of Fame Broadcaster Scott MacLeod and Alex Cooper will bring you the call. The Bobcats have won their last eight home openers.

SERIES HISTORY
The Bobcats and Panthers have met six times in men's basketball, the Bobcats owning a 4-2 series advantage. They split action last year, with both teams winning at home.

LAST TIME OUT FOR GC
A three-point basket with 1.2 seconds remaining provided the difference in a tight 67-66 loss for Georgia College men's basketball (2-1) Wednesday at Albany State University (2-2). The loss was the first of the young season for the Bobcats.

With the Bobcats up 66-64 at the 10 second mark, the Golden Rams pulled down a missed free-throw, went the length of the floor, and Larry Bullock knocked down a three from the corner for the ASU win.

Bullock's heroics negate an amazing performance from senior forward Larrentis Thomas who posted a 21-point 12-rebound double-double. Flanking Thomas was junior guard Terrell Harris at 14 points, while junior forward Rio McMillian added 10.

The Bobcats were bit by the turnover bug, coughing it up 21 times, the most since posting 26 turnovers in a triple-overtime loss to Albany State a year ago.

Bullock finished with 20 points, including the game-winner, while Davetom Odom joined him in double-figure scoring at 11.

With the Bobcats up 65-64 with 18 seconds left, Harris' defense forced a Ram guard to step on the sideline, getting the turnover. The ensuing ASU foul put the Bobcats at the line, where they made 1-of-2, setting up Bullock's game-winner.

LAST TIME AGAINST CAU
A lay-in with just 1.2 seconds left in the game snuffed out a steady second-half rally by Georgia College men's basketball (3-3) as the Bobcats fell 74-73 at Clark Atlanta University Dec. 13, 2013.  

Georgia College trailed by double-digits in the second half, but chipped away at the Panther lead steadily throughout the frame. After trailing 70-63 with three minutes left, a 10-2 run brought the Bobcats back in the game.

Senior Royal Thomas hit a pair of free-throws to give Georgia College a 73-72 lead with just 6.6 seconds remaining. After a time out, CAU's Derek Harper answered the call, breaking the length of the floor for an athletic lay-in and what would be the 74-73 final with just over a second left.  
Sophomore Terrell Harris led all scorers with 24 points, his third 20-plus point game of the season. Harris added seven rebounds and a pair of assists as well. Thomas finished with 14 points to match his season-high, adding a game-best five assists to the effort.

Rounding out the double-digit scorers for Georgia College was Robert Armstrong, tallying 10 points with five rebounds, hitting 4-of-9 from the floor.

The teams were evenly matched in shooting at 46 percent (26-56) for the Bobcats to 45 percent (26-58) for CAU. Georgia College hit one more three pointer (5-4) but lost the battle at the free-throw line 59 percent (16-27) to 75 percent (18-24).

Harper led the Panthers with 23 points off the bench. Christian Houston aided with 11 reserve points as nine different CAU players reached the scoring column.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Clark Atlanta is predicted to finish second in the SIAC East, according to the preseason poll, despite not having anyone on the Preseason All-SIAC Team.  

The leading scorer for the Panthers in the first three contests this season has been newcomer Najee Whitehead. The 6-foot-3 junior guard is a transfer from Monroe Community College, averaging 18.7 points per contest.
 
THE COACH
Georgia College Director of Athletics Wendell Staton announced the hiring of long-time assistant Mark Gainous as the new Bobcat Men's Basketball head coach Aug. 19. Gainous fills the vacancy left by the retirement of 21-year vet Terry Sellers. Gainous becomes the eighth head coach in Georgia College men's basketball history.

Gainous has patrolled the sidelines for the Bobcats for the last 11 seasons as assistant men's basketball coach. He has helped the team to a 177-131 (.575) record, including four 20-win seasons. The Bobcats picked up a Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Regular-Season title in 2005-06, and earned three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a Sweet-16 run in 2006. Gainous has helped coach 11 student-athletes to All-PBC status, including PBC Player of the Year and All-American Honorable Mention Jeremy Mayweather (2004-06). Gainous has taken the reigns for a handful of games in the last few seasons, when coach Sellers missed time for health issues for both his family and himself. The assistant served as head coach for the upset win over then No. 7 Augusta State University in the 2010-11 season.

A GRAND MAN
Georgia College junior guard Terrell Harris eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in the win over Emmanuel College Nov. 15. Harris scored 518 points as a freshman for then-Mars Hill College, and added 452 in his first season for the Bobcats, ranking ninth in school history. Add in his efforts for the first two games of the year, and the junior has over 1,000 collegiate points. Harris now stands at 499 in his Georgia College career.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
The Bobcats have put up strong defensive efforts thus far, and are among the conference leaders in many defensive categories. Georgia College ranks fifth in blocks per game (3.7), fourth in opponent shooting (.410), third in opponent three-point shooting (.301) and fifth in points per game allowed (69.3).

UP NEXT
Bobcat men's basketball hosts Fort Valley State University Monday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.