AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The Georgia Southwestern State University men's basketball team opened Peach Belt Conference play with a 77-68 loss at Augusta University on Thursday night in the Christenberry Fieldhouse, a building that has not been kind over the years to squads from Americus. The Hurricanes only victory in Christenberry Fieldhouse came in Feb. 2007. GSW is 1-9 all-time as the road team in the series and 2-17 overall against Augusta. 

How It Happened: Despite being limited to 33.3 percent shooting over the opening 20 minutes, GSW led on four occasions during the first half, with the largest margin coming at the 8:33 mark when a Devon Higgs jumper put the Hurricanes ahead by four points, 21-17. Over the ensuing five minutes, Augusta outscored GSW 13-3 and from there the Jaguars took a 39-32 lead into the halftime break.

GSW pulled to within a point, 48-47, following a Solomon Thomas layup with 14 minutes to play and back within a point at 53-52 following a Josh Press 3-pointer at the 11:33 mark, but a four-minute scoring drought allowed Augusta to rattle off 10 unanswered points and build a margin too large for the Hurricanes to wipe away. Augusta' s largest lead of the evening was 12, and it came in the closing minute.

GSW (5-2, 0-1 PBC) turned in its worst shooting night of the season as the Hurricanes were held to 35.1 percent from the floor while Augusta (6-3, 1-0 PBC) hit 50 percent for the game. The Jaguars drained 7 of 16 from long range (43.8 percent) and stepped to the free throw line 14 more times than GSW (41-27) in a game where the teams combined for 63 fouls. It's the second consecutive game GSW has lost the rebounding battle. Augusta pulled down 38 boards to the Hurricanes 30.

Who Stood Out: Jamari Dean led the Hurricanes with 18 points despite being limited to 16 minutes on the floor. Keshawn Gibbs matched his season high with 12 points. Gibbs sank 8 of 9 from the charity stripe and led the team with five rebounds. 

Augusta was led by Rafael Monteiro and Troy Cracknell. The duo combined for 61 percent of the Jaguars scoring. Cracknell led with 24 points. He made 4 of 7 from beyond the arc and 10 of 14 from the free throw line. Monteiro posted a double-double with 23 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.  

Up Next: The Hurricanes travel to USC Aiken for a 3:30 p.m. conference game on Saturday.