AUM Men’s Hoops Season Comes to an End in SSAC Semifinals
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (aumathletics.com) — The Auburn Montgomery men’s basketball team saw its season come to an end Friday in the semifinals of the Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament, when the Warhawks fell to Middle Georgia State University 76-66 at the Mulitplex at Cramton Bowl.
NOTES
• With the loss, the AUM season comes to an end with a 17-13 record.
• Middle Georgia improved to 16-10 on the year and will take on the winner of Friday’s final game between Faulkner and Loyola in the championship game.
• The win total marked the most by an AUM men’s team since the 2008-09 team finished 27-7.
• The contest marked the final collegiate game for AUM’s four seniors – Spencer Jones, Rodrick Robinson, Tristen Harrell and Bobby Thompson.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Reagan Eubanks finished with a team-best 21 points.
• Jeffery White came off the bench to score 11 points and grab five rebounds.
• Thompson contributed seven points and eight rebounds.
• Desmond DeRamus finished with eight points, five assists, three rebounds a block and a steal.
• Kieston Standfield led all players with 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Knights.
• David Bivins (18) and Marques Hinton (10) scored in double figures for Middle Georgia.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• After exchanging buckets to open the game, the Knights used a 17-4 run over a five-minute span and took a 19-6 lead on a trey by Ryan Wilkins with 13:35 remaining in the first half.
• The Warhawks countered with a 19-4 run of their own during the next 7:17, capped by a basket by Romoane Eager with 6:18 remaining before halftime, giving AUM a 25-23 lead. DeRamus and Julius McCoy scored five points each during the run.
• Middle Georgia regained a 34-28 lead with an 11-3 run, before Thompson drained a trey with 2:27 remaining in the half to trim the deficit to 34-31. Standfield hit a pair of free throws, while Paul Harris made a basket in the paint to complete the scoring, sending the Knights to halftime leading 36-33.
• MGSU opened the second half with a basket by Standfield, but AUM answered with eight straight points and took a 41-38 lead on a layup by DeRamus with 16:54 remaining.
• The Knights went on a 14-3 run during the next 5:18 and took an eight-point lead, 52-44, on a Hinton hoop with 11:36 left to play.
• The Warhawks chipped away, pulling to as close as three points, 60-57, following a 3-pointer by Eubanks with 4:54 to play.
• However, Standfield and Pat Edmonds each rattled off five points each to fuel a 10-0 run following the Eubanks trey and put the game out of reach.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• AUM converted 38.2 percent (26-of-68) of its shots from the floor, including 8-of-24 from distance. The Warhawks made 6-of-9 shots from the free throw line.
• The Knights also made 26 field goals, hitting nine 3-pointers and 15-of-20 free throw attempts.
• Middle Georgia controlled the glass, outrebounding AUM 43-32. Despite the advantage on the boards, the Warhawks outscored the Knights in the paint, 22-20.
• The Warhawks forced 15 turnovers in the game, leading to 18 points. AUM committed 13 miscues, leading to nine points.
