The University of North Georgia Men’s Basketball team continues to add to the win column after they defeated rival Georgia College and State University, 92-82, extending their winning streak to eight straight games on Jan. 10.
The theme for the night was “black out,” as students and fans filled the Convocation Center repping their free black North Georgia basketball t-shirts they received before the game. Both the men’s and women’s basketball games featured the highest attendance for any North Georgia basketball games so far this season.
Both teams went back and forth, with 12 lead changes throughout the game. The men’s team came into the second half with a 44-37 lead and never looked back, as they held onto their advantage to come away with the 10-point win, while handing Georgia College their fifth straight loss in the process.
Junior forward Frank Champion led the way for the Nighthawks, scoring 19 points while also adding eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks to the victory. Sophomore guard Cayden Charles matched his career high with 17 points, and junior forward Giancarlo Bastianoni also contributed 17 points in the win. North Georgia’s impressive ball movement led to 21 assists on 25 made shots.
Sophomore center Colin Turner said he feels like the team’s strength and physicality from all five positions on the floor played a huge role in the win Wednesday night and in most of North Georgia’s previous games this season.
“Most teams we play can sometimes match physically at the four or five spot,” Turner said, “but we are more physical than teams at every other spot and that ends up limiting a lot of teams in the paint. As a team, we were able to build a wall defensively and limit paint touches and scores as well.”
North Georgia is fresh off its most decorated season in program history, finishing 21-8 and reaching the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time. The Nighthawks are continuing that success so far this season, with an 11-1 overall record and an undefeated record in Peach Belt Conference play. In the NCAA Division II rankings, they currently sit at No. 7 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Poll and No. 6 in the D2CSC Men’s Basketball Division II Media Poll.
The Nighthawks will be back at home Saturday, Jan. 20, for an in-conference matchup against the University of South Carolina Beaufort. Click here for more information on North Georgia Men’s Basketball.
