No. 9 Jaguars Outslug No. 20 Pirates, 59-55

SAVANNAH, Ga. - In a matchup of two teams ranked in the top 20 of the NABC Division II Men's Basketball poll, one team shot just 30.5 percent from the floor, including just 3-for-13 from three-point range, and began the game 0-for-17 from the field.

And that was the team that won.

No. 9-ranked Augusta State maintained its lead atop the Peach Belt Conference standings with a hard-fought 59-55 victory over host and No. 20-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena.

The Jaguars (19-4, 13-3 PBC) shook off a slow start that saw them score just five points in the first 15 minutes as the Pirates led, 15-5, with 5:08 left in the first half, and took a 22-17 lead into halftime.

Armstrong Atlantic (18-5, 11-5 PBC) did not relinquish the lead until 10:30 remaining in the contest, when the Jaguars used a pair of Ben Madgen free throws to take its first lead of the game, 43-41. AASU retook the lead, 54-53, on a Keron McKenzie driving layup with 2:01 left, but AASU would turn the ball over twice and miss three shots in the final minute and a half. Madgen again put the Jaguars out in front with a pair of free throws, 55-54, with 1:43 left and Augusta State would hold on for the victory.

In only the second Alumni Arena matchup of two Top 25-ranked teams, Calvin Wilson led all scorers for the host Pirates with a career-high 22 points - 19 in the second half - to go with 12 rebounds. AASU finished the game hitting just 21-of-65 shots from the floor (32.3 percent) and made just 3-of-18 shots from three-point range (16.7%) and just 10-of-20 shots from the free throw line (50%).

Garrett Siler led the Jaguars with 17 points and 18 rebounds - one off of the Alumni Arena men's basketball rebound record. Madgen finished the night with 15 points and Fred Brathwaite chpped in 14 points and nine rebounds.

The loss halted AASU's three-game win streak, while Augusta State stretched its current win streak to five. AASU falls to 1-4 this season against nationally-ranked teams - all teams within the Peach Belt Conference.

The Pirates return to action on Monday, February 16, with a 7:30 p.m. contest at Clayton State in Morrow, Ga.