Monday Feb. 8, 2010

PEMBROKE, N.C. -- Augusta State placed all five starters in double figures Monday night and held off a valiant effort from UNC Pembroke for an 82-77 Peach Belt Conference road win at the English E. Jones Center.

With the victory, ASU (20-12, 12-1) recorded its fourth consecutive 20-win season and its 15th straight win against the Braves. The victory lifted the Jaguars to 101-21 overall and to 60-9 in the PBC since the beginning of the 2006-07 campaign. The win also gave head coach Dip Metress his sixth 20-win season in 14 years as a head coach.

ASU’s Fred Brathwaite booked his fourth 20-point effort of the season, finishing with a team-high 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Ben Madgen netted 17 points and five boards, while Greg Hire connected on 7-of-8 attempts and tallied a career-high 16 points. Daniel Dixon and Alex Smith managed 10 points each.

The 12th-ranked Jags, who knocked off UNCP by 46 points on Jan. 20 in Christenberry Fieldhouse, shot 56 percent in the first half and led 39-32 at the half. The Braves (8-15, 4-10), who were coming off consecutive wins over Francis Marion and Flagler, shot 55 percent in the second half and outscored ASU 36-34 in the paint.

UNCP’s Chris Hargrove pitched in a game-high 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Marcus Heath carded 12 points and nine assists and Shahmel Bracket and Taylor Hukill chipped in 11 each.

In a contest that featured four ties and 10 lead changes, ASU trailed by two after a Heath 3-pointer put the Braves ahead 69-67 with 5:15 to play. Brathwaite immediately answered with a three-point play and Dixon scored six points in the final 3:47 to thwart UNCP’s upset bid.

The Jags host 21st-ranked Georgia College & State on Thursday, Feb. 11 in a key PBC showdown in Christenberry Fieldhouse at 7:30 p.m.