Nyack, N.Y. - Trailing by a bucket (41-39) at halftime, Georgian Court University unloaded for 54 points over the final 20 minutes as the Lions earned a 93-80 runaway victory Saturday at Nyack College to improve to 3-1 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) men's basketball action.
The win, which moves GCU to 5-6 on the year, ties the program record for triumphs in a single season (2014, 2015, 2017).
After a
Luis Escobar (Jr.-Pembrooke Pines, Fla.)Â three-pointer increased the Nyack lead to 44-39 at the start of the second stanza (19:43), the Lions rallied for a 6-0 spurt to take a slim 45-44 advantage at the 19:00 mark.
Four more lead changes would follow over the next 1:43 before an
Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor three-ball at the 17:17 mark provided a 50-49 surplus, giving the Lions the upper hand the rest of the way. Ahead by a three-point margin (61-58) with 12:25 to go, Georgian Court unloaded for a 17-4 run to take a game-high 16-point lead (78-62) with 5:58 left.
The Lions' cushion would remain in double-digits the rest of the way as the road team coasted to its highest scoring total since netting a program-record 104 points last Feb. 5 in a win over Chestnut Hill.
Both Ortiz-Traylor (29 points, 12 rebounds) and
Caleb Bowser (22 points, 12 rebounds) authored double-double performances in the GCU rout while
Justin Figueroa and
Kim Speller registered 10 points apiece. The Lions shot a stellar 59% from the floor, including a mind-blowing 19-for-26 (73%) in the second half.
Perris Hicks (Gr.-Los Angeles, Calif.) dropped in a team-high 24 points for the Warriors (6-6, 1-3 CACC).
GCU (3-1 CACC) remains on the road for another crucial conference contest as the Lions visit Wilmington University Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m.
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