Mount Olive, N.C.- Unable to hold on to a first-half, double-digit advantage, the Georgian Court University men's basketball squad closed out the two-day University of Mount Olive Pickle Classic Saturday afternoon with an anguishing 85-69 loss to Barton College.

The defeat keeps the Lions winless (0-5) on the season while the Bulldogs even their overall mark at 2-2.

GCU was feeling as cool as a Blue Ridge breeze in the first half as the Lions compiled a 21-10 surplus with 11:10 remaining before intermission. The elation would expire in a blink for Georgian Court as Barton exploded for a 29-10 run to take a 39-31 lead with 53 seconds before the break.

Hope certainly was not lost for Georgian Court as they ripped back the lead when an Arthur Mitchell layup put the Lions ahead, 51-49, with 12:50 remaining in regulation. The Bulldogs proceeded to sink their teeth into the deficit and did not stop before ripping off a mighty 15-0 chunk to take a 64-51 lead with 7:35 left. 

Barton proceeded to tie a bow on the comeback by pouncing with a 19-12 spurt to build a game-high 20-point surplus (83-63) with 1:08 to go.

Mitchell, playing just his second game as a Lion, topped GCU with 13 points in only 17 minutes off the bench. Hamilton Capellan drilled three of six three-point efforts to net 10 points in 14 minutes as a reserve. Keith Hughes patrolled the Georgian Court glass for seven rebounds to go along with his nine points.

Georgian Court finally prepares to play on its home floor for the first time in 2016-17 as the Lions welcome Holy Family University to the Wellness Center Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m.