Last-Second Three-Pointer Gives GCSU 63-61 Win Over Cougars

Columbus, Ga. -- In a major feline battle at the Lumpkin Center, it was the Bobcats of Georgia College & State University who got in the final claw against the Cougars of Columbus State.

GCSU's Andre Mikell raced up the floor and drilled a double-clutch three-point shot from 25 feet away as time expired to give the Bobcats a 63-61 win over CSU. With the win, the Bobcats move to 12-2 overall and 5-0 in the Peach Belt Conference, while the Cougars drop to 8-7, 2-4.

Lamar Williams - held scoreless for over 36 minutes of the game - gave CSU a one-point advantage with just over three seconds left as he hit one of two free-throws to make it 61-60. Williams scored all nine of his points after hitting his first field goal with 3:43 to play. He hit a key trey with 41 seconds left to give the Cougars a 60-58 lead.

Ryan Aquino tied the game for GCSU with his sixth offensive rebound and put-back of the night with nine seconds left. That play set up the Cougars for a chance to win it. CSU got the ball into the hands of Williams, the team's leading scorer, and he was fouled as he started up with a turnaround jumper, setting up the dramatic final three seconds.

CSU was masterful in the first half, executing a near flawless game plan. The Cougars used the Bobcats' own weapon against them in the first 20 minutes, hitting six three-point shots in nine attempts. Freshman Blake Zamudio hit three of those treys and Bryant Thomas added two more as teh Cougars erased an early 8-0 deficit to go up by 11 at 24-13 on a Brandon Bland layup with 8:02 left in the period. That shot capped a 12-2 spurt by CSU. Chris Telesford capped a 9-1 run to close the half as he scored five consecutive points - the last coming on a trey from the head of the key in the last second to give CSU a 39-28 lead at the half.

GCSU out-scored the Cougars 20-6 over the first 11 minutes of the second half and took its first lead since the 15:18 mark of the first half as a Mikell three-ball gave the Bobcats a 48-45 lead with 9:01 to play. From there, the game became a see-saw affair with two ties and four lead changes. The last lead change was the final one as Mikell's shot hit nothing but net to set off a celebration by the Bobcat team.

CSU was very balanced offensively with Donta Ridley's 10 points leading the way. Zamudio, Williams, Telesford, and Bryant Thomas each chipped in nine points and Jeremy Grimball added seven. Brandon Bland finished with six for the Cougars. Telesford's six rebounds led the team on the night. CSU shot 55 percent in the first half and cooled to 39 percent in the final period to finish at 48 percent overall. The Cougars were 9-16 (56 percent) from three-point range and hit two of four free-throw attempts.

Aquino led the Bobcats as he posted a double-double, scoring 19 with 12 rebounds. Mikell and Rios added 13 apiece. GCSU was held to just seven three-pointers in the game, after coming into the contest with 144 made triples on the year. GCSU shot 41 percent in the second half to finish at 38 percent overall and held a 38-26 advantage on the boards.

CSU returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Americus to face Georgia Southwestern in a 7:30 p.m. contest.