‘Cats finish strong with upset win
When the game commenced, the Bobcats and the Pacers were very close, but as the first half progressed, the Bobcats began to stretch their lead. With 8:11 remaining in the game, a jumper made by junior guard Graham Martin gave the Bobcats a ten-point advantage. From there, GCSU was able to maintain the lead over the Pacers until the end of the first half, with the score 38-33 in favor of the Bobcats.
“We went into a very hostile environment,” Head Coach Terry Sellers said. “We played a team that was ranked eleventh in the country with a 27 game home winning streak. The guys went and pulled out a one point game win in overtime. It was one of the best games we have had all season.”
The Bobcats shooting average for the first half was 39.3 percent on field goals, including 46.7 percent on three-point field goals, and 90 percent on free throws.
When the second half began, the Pacers grabbed the lead very early and were able to maintain a slight lead over the Bobcats until the last minute of the game, when junior point guard Ty Rowland took over.
With 55 seconds remaining in the game, GCSU was trailing 68-65 when junior guard Rowland went up for a layup, hit the shot and drew a foul. With the score at 68-67 in favor of the Pacers, Rowland made the free throw, tying the game at 68.
Neither team was able to score for the rest of the game, which sent the battle into overtime.
The five-minute overtime period began and the Pacers jumped ahead 70-68. Then with 2:58 remaining, a three-pointer by senior guard Shaun Keaton put the Bobcats ahead 71-70. Aiken quickly responded with a layup, for a 72-71 lead.
With just 33 seconds left in the game, with Aiken in possession of the ball and leading by one, Martin was able to make a steal and give the Bobcats possession. Rowland hit another clutch shot, a layup with 16 seconds remaining, to win the game 73-72.
“It was good to get another chance,” Rowland said. “I missed the game winner against Francis Marion at home and I got another chance to redeem myself.”
Although Aiken managed to out-rebound the Bobcats 43-32, GCSU had only 13 turnovers, as opposed to the Pacers’ 18. The Bobcat’s shooting average for the game was 37.3 percent on field goals, but they hit 50 percent on three-point field goals and 85 percent on free throws, two key areas for the Bobcats this season.
For the third game in a row, Keaton was the high scorer for the Bobcats, pouring in 25 points. Keaton shot 8-of-16 on field goals, including 5-of-8 on three-pointers and was 4-of-4 on free throws.
“I think it went really well,” Keaton said.
“We played with a lot of intensity and we got some big stops when we needed them.”
Rowland was the second highest scorer for GCSU with 14 points. He was 5-of-8 from the floor, including 3-of-4 on 3-point field goals and 2-of-2 on free throws.
The Bobcats finished the regular season with 21 wins and five losses, their tenth 20-win season in school history. Head Coach Terry Sellers was nominated Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year, leading his team to a fourth-place finish in the conference after being selected sixth in the preseason poll.
The Bobcats begin their first postseason game in the PBC Tournament on Friday, Mar. 6 returning to Aiken, S.C. to face the North Georgia College and State University Saints in the 4-seed vs. 5-seed first-round matchup. The Bobcats swept the season series with NGCSU 2-0. A win would put the Bobcats in position to knock off the 1-seed Augusta State University in the semifinals.
“We’ll just try to do the same things that we have done all season long,” Coach Sellers said. “We are going to go into each game determined to try and outwork each opponent that we’ll face this postseason.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Mar 6 2009. Filed under Sports.
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