ALBANY, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University men's basketball team cut a 21-point second half deficit to three points with under two minutes to play, but could not complete the comeback and suffered its first loss of the season, 72-66, at Albany State University on Monday in the ASU West Campus Arena.     

How It Happened: The Hurricanes (5-1) were on top for less than five minutes in the game, coming out of the gate with a 10-4 start for their largest lead of the evening. Albany State answered with an 11-0 run and built its lead to 33-24 at halftime.    

The Golden Rams opened the second half with a 15-3 run to stretch their lead to 21 points. It took GSW nearly four minutes to score its first field goal of the final period as all three points scored during Albany State's run came from the free throw line.  

The Hurricanes trailed by 18 points, 57-39, with 10:38 to play when Soloman Thomas drilled a 3-pointer to start a push towards the comeback. Thomas proceeded to get two steals in less than a minute that he parlayed into a pair of layups and quickly pulled GSW within nine points. The Hurricanes effort momentarily stalled as Albany State led by 11 with 6:27 remaining. GSW held the Golden Rams to four points over the next five minutes and a Jamari Dean jumper with 1:51 on the clock trimmed the margin to three points, 69-66, but a turnover sandwiched between a pair of missed shots was all the Hurricanes could muster the rest of the way.

Albany State (4-6) turned in its second-best shooting night of the season (51 percent) to even its home record at 3-3. On the flip side, it was the Hurricanes second-lowest shooting night (44 percent), despite a 14 of 27 effort (51.9 percent) in the second half. GSW struggled from long range, going 4 of 18 (22.2 percent), and lost the rebounding battle for the first time this season, 34-31. Albany State finished with a 10-point advantage in points in the paint, 32-22.

Who Stood Out: Thomas and Jalen Cameron led the Hurricanes with 18 points apiece. Cameron tied for the game high with seven rebounds. Dean made 8 of 11 shots and finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Thomas had four steals. 

Albany State got 19 points from both Napoleon Harris and Joshua Jerome. The pair combined to make 13 of 19 shots (68.4 percent). Randy McClure added seven rebounds.  

Up Next: The Hurricanes take the next 14 days to complete final exams and prepare for Peach Belt Conference play that begins with a pair of road games, starting with a trip to Augusta University (4-3) on Thursday, Dec. 19.