COLUMBUS, Ga. – Cam Baker and Brent Jackson combined to score 48 points to help Columbus State University fend off a hard-charging Flagler College team 84-72 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night at the Lumpkin Center.
Columbus State improved to 14-4 overall and 8-3 in the Peach Belt. Flagler fell to 6-13 overall and 2-9 in conference play. The Saints have lost 10 games in a row on the road. Flagler's last win on the road was on Feb. 4, 2015 at Savannah, Georgia against Armstrong State University, 64-59.
Baker finished with 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and dished out nine assists as well as grabbing five rebounds. Jackson also poured in 24 points with the help of making four 3-pointers and he was 6-of-9 from the free throw line. JaCori Payne contributed 14 points, all in the second half, and he added four assists for the Cougars.
The Saints opened the game on an 8-0 run, but the first half saw no lead exceed eight points on either side and the Cougars took a 40-35 lead into the half.
Like Flagler in the first half, Columbus State reeled off the first eight points in the second half which was part of a 15-5 run that saw the Cougars push their largest lead to 15 (53-38) with 15:59 left to play.
The Saints trailed by double figures for most of the second half, but was able to whittle the deficit to single digits thanks to an 11-3 run that included six points from
Matt Clark. It was Clark who sank a pair of free throws to pull Flagler to within seven (71-64) with 3:13 remaining. But the Saints couldn't get any closer as the Cougars made 7-of-8 free throws in the last 2:25 of the game.
Clark led four Saints in double-figures with 18 points while
Keith Gray poured in a season-high 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Keshaun Hamilton added 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
Vaughn McCall tacked on 10 points.
The Saints were forced into committing 16 turnovers which led to 19 Cougar points.
Flagler returns home on Saturday (Jan. 30) to take on the University of North Carolina Pembroke (10-10 overall, 4-7 PBC) at 3:30 p.m. at Flagler Gymnasium.
