THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University men's basketball team managed to hang on late in the second half for a skim 84-80 win over Coastal Georgia Saturday after holding a lead as large as 20 points.
 
The Night Hawks (2-4, 2-1 TSC) continued their momentum from Thursday, taking control of the game early on.  After a Coastal Georgia (3-3, 1-2 TSC) free throw tied the score 4-4 at 17:53, the Night Hawks went on an 8-0 scoring run in 60 seconds.   While the Mariners would trail behind, the team kept the deficit to single digits.
 
With 7:48 left in the first half, CCGA only trailed by one possession after a Lee Green 3-Pointer made it a 22-20 contest favoring TU.  Then, the Night Hawks took advantage of a slew of Coastal Georgia turnovers, spending the next 5:42 on a blazing 15-4 scoring run to extend its lead to 13.  Both teams spent the last few minutes of the half exchanging points, as the Hunter Green & White headed to the locker room with a 40-29 halftime lead.
 
The second half began nearly the same way as the first half, with the Night Hawks putting together a scoring run, 13-4, in nearly the first four minutes to extend the score 53-33.  With its largest lead of the day, Thomas appeared to have the game in hand.  The Mariners would not be counted out so easily, immediately responding with a 10-1 scoring run to cut the team's deficit to 54-43 with 12:32 remaining. 
 
The next nine minutes of the game was evenly matched, with both teams exchanging baskets.  A pair of good free throws from Junior Guard Trint Bryant made the score 77-65 with 3:03 left. 
 
With a 12-point lead, TU once again appeared to be on track to close out the game, until a late 9-0 scoring surge for CCGA gave the Mariners new life with 1:33 left, only trailing 77-74.  A clutch 3-Point basket from Junior Guard Tim Williamson put the contest at a six-point difference at the 1:07 mark.  The remaining time was enough for the Night Hawks to stave off the Mariners with a few good free throws to clinch the team's second The Sun Conference win.
 
Thomas' offense was effective Saturday, converting 49.1% of its shots from the field, including 50% from long-range.  While Night Hawks' free-throw percentage was not as effective on the day (64.5%), the team had 31 shots from the charity stripe, enough chances to give TU the edge over its TSC in-state rival.
 
Trint Bryant had another effective performance, shooting 67% from the field and 80% from outside the arch.  The Thomasville, Ga. native finished the day with 21 points and four assists.  Tim Williamson was also effective, shooting 6-for-11 on the court, tallying 19 points, and recording four steals.
 
The Hunter Green & White will now have a week to prepare for Faulkner's Battle at the Beach Classic in Montgomery, Ala., beginning with the host team (RV) Eagles Friday at 5:45 p.m.

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