MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Both teams had trouble finding the mark Saturday, as Georgia College Men's Basketball (18-5, 10-4 PBC) edged Georgia Southwestern State University (9-14, 5-10 PBC) 52-50 at the Centennial Center.

The Bobcats upped the offense in the second half, shooting 43% from the field, compared to just 27% in the first. Junior forward Christian Koneman (Chatsworth) had 10 of his 13 points after the halftime break.

A close contest late, GSW had it within two possessions for the final eight minutes. After a steal by Jordan Thomas (Conyers), the senior found Chapin Rierson (Calhoun) in transition for a lay-in and a 51-48 lead with 48 seconds left.

A pair of free throws from the Hurricanes' Kevin Kone cut it back to one at 51-49 with 33 seconds left. A Bobcat turnover put GSW with the ball in front of their bench and just eight seconds remaining. A hotly-contested layup and another tough put-back were off target, however and junior Wesley Simpson (DeLand, Florida/Union Grove HS [Ga.]) cleared the rebound.

He hit one of two free-throws, and an off-balance three-point attempt by GSW missed the mark for a Bobcat victory.

Koneman was the Bobcats' lone double-digit scorer, shooting 3-for-4 from long range en route to his 13 points. Of the 10 Bobcats that got playing time, eight of them reached the scoring column. Simpson finished with a near double-double of eight points and nine boards.

The win puts GC at 10-4 in PBC play, tied for third in the league standings. The top eight teams qualify for the PBC Tournament in March, with the top four getting to host an opening-round game.

The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m., playing host to Lander University.

As a proud recipient of the 2021 PBC Sportsmanship Institution of the Year, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GC Athletics is now two-time winners of both the PBC Commissioner's Cup and the league's sportsmanship honor. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in post-season competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports.