AUGUSTA, Ga. | C.J. Jones scored a career-high 42 points to lead Georgia College & State University past Augusta University 99-91 in overtime Saturday (Dec. 13) afternoon at the George A. Christenberry Fieldhouse in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game.

The Bobcats, who snapped a nine-game losing streak to Augusta, won their fifth game in a row as they improved to 6-2 overall and are the only unbeaten team in the Peach Belt at 3-0 in the league. The Jaguars fell to 6-7 and 2-2.

GCSU returns to the Centennial Center Wednesday (Dec. 17) when they host the University of South Carolina-Beaufort in a 10 a.m. PBC game. It is also the Bobcats' Education Day game presented by Sonic when GCSU will welcome nearly 3,000 elementary and middle school children to the contest.

Jones, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard out of Suwanee, Georgia, and a transfer from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, scored the second-most points in GCSU men's basketball history on 14-of-21 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-9 from long distance, and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Four of those free throws in the final 17 seconds of overtime sealed the win over Augusta. Jones led the Bobcats with eight rebounds to go along with his two assists and two steals. Leonard Scott holds the Bobcat record for most points in a game when he scored 43 points against Piedmont during the 1977-78 season.

Jones gave the Bobcats their largest lead - nine points (76-67) - after a jumper in the paint with 5:16 remaining in regulation, but Augusta stormed back to tie the game at 78 on two Elias Palsson free throws with 2:08 to go. GCSU regained the lead at 81-78 on two free throws from Jones and another one from Aidan Kudlas, but T.J. Baker sent the game into overtime as he sank a three-pointer from the right corner with 0.9 seconds left.

Mason Etter gave the Bobcats the lead for good in the extra time at 88-85 as he swished a three-pointer from the left corner with 2:57 left. GCSU, which hit 29-of-36 free throws in the game, sealed away the win as they hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final minute.

GCSU shot 52.5 percent (31-of-59) from the field, while holding the Jaguars to 35.6 percent (26-of-73) shooting, including just 3-of-10 in the overtime. The Bobcats outscored the Jaguars 46-22 in the paint. The game saw 19 lead changes and 18 ties.

Kudlas (12) and Tony Carpio (11) also finished in double figures for the Bobcats, while Julian Walker and Khalil Green each had eight points. Kudlas added six rebounds, while Oscar Lynch had five.
 

About GCSU Athletics 
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for five consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won six consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason 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 @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.  Read Full Article