MORROW, Ga. | James Nichols III scored a career-high 34 points to lead four players in double figures as Georgia College & State University defeated Clayton State University 100-81 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Friday (Jan. 23) evening at The Loch.
The Bobcats improved to 12-7 overall and to 7-4 in the Peach Belt, while the Lakers fell to 2-17 and 1-10. GCSU returns to action Wednesday (Jan. 28) when they face the newest member in the PBC - Middle Georgia State University - in a 7:30 p.m. contest in Cochran, Georgia.
Nichols was nearly perfect as he hit 12-of-13 shots from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from long distance, for the Bobcats, who were scintillating as a team as they shot 63.0 percent (34-of-54) from the field and 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from three-point range. Nichols, who registered four assists, went 7-of-9 from the charity stripe and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.Â
Nichols was not the only one having a career night as
Oscar Lynch scored 20 points. Lynch went 7-of-8 from the field and was 4-of-5 from three-point range. Lynch also grabbed six rebounds for the Bobcats.Â
C.J. Jones (13) and
Devin McClain (11) also finished in double figures for the Bobcats. Jones also grabbed six rebounds and distributed five assists, while
Luke Krawczyk collected five rebounds.
Clayton State scored the first bucket of the game, but Lynch hit a three-pointer to give the Bobcats a 3-2 lead with 18:53 left. GCSU never trailed after that. The Bobcats broke the game open midway through the first half as they put together a 22-7 run to open up a 19-point lead (38-19) after an old-fashioned three-point play from Nichols with 7:57 to go. The Bobcats took their largest lead - 23 points (70-47) - after
Gabe Bolden connected on a three-pointer with 15:06 remaining.
About GCSU AthleticsÂ
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 theÂ
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