LAKEWOOD, NJ (Dec. 14, 2024) - Georgian Court Men's Basketball hung with 2023-24 NCAA Regional Tournament runners-up Saint Michael's for nearly all of their contest Saturday afternoon. The Purple Knights led for much of the game, but Georgian Court was within striking distance. The strike never came though and Saint Michael's hung on for a 69-60 win over GCU.

How it Happened
• Saint Michael's shot 41% overall and were right near 40% from three.
• Georgian Court hit 40% overall and connected on 36% from behind the arc.
• Free throw shooting favored the Purple Knights. They were 20-23 at the line. Georgian Court attempted just nine free throws, making four.
• Saint Michael's held the edge on the glass, 38-27.
• The Lions stayed in the game thanks in part to 18 Purple Knight turnovers. GCU lost the ball just nine times.
First Half
• Early on, threes were falling for everyone. Seven of the first eight made field goals were from behind the arc and Saint Michael's led, 16-12 with 13:22 to go in the half.
• Jacob Santiago made it a two-point game, 16-14, but Saint Michael's pulled ahead with a 13-3 run, going up by 12, 29-17.
• GCU responded with an 8-0 run, started by an Amari Jones three-pointer. 
• Come halftime, GCU cut the lead in half from 12 down to six, and trailed 33-27.
Second Half
• Everytime Georgian Court hit a big shot, it seemed like the Purple Knights found the answer.
• Justin Harper twice hit a three to keep it a six-point game in the early going of the half, but SMC responded with a basket on their next possession.
• A pair of Saint Michael's free throws brought the lead back into double-figures, 55-44 with 7:41 remaining.
• Georgian Court chipped away, never giving up and a Khalil Haker three made it 59-55 with less than three minutes to go.
• However after the three was hit, a technical foul was called on GCU for taunting giving SMC two free throws, which they hit, and possession.
• Now trailing by six, Cam Edmonds finally made it a one-possession game, 61-58, but again there were the Purple Knights matching with a three of their own.
• Georgian Court was never able to get it back to a one-possession game as SMC went 5-6 at the line in the final 1:04 to ice the game.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Khalil Baker finished with a game-high tying 22 points on 9-12 shooting with seven rebounds.
• Justin Harper scored 17 going 7-13 overall.
• Cam Edmonds added 10 points with four assists.

For the Purple Knights
• CJ Crews matched Baker scoring 22 points going 6-11 from three.
• Nolan Marold was 8-8 at the line and had a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double.
• Alan Brzezinski scored 14 as well.

News and Notes
• Khalil Baker scored a career-high 22 points. 
• Georgian Court falls to 0-3 all-time against Saint Michael's.
• Cam Edmonds is now in the Lions all-time top-10 for made field goals.
• Donavin Crawford played in his 50th career game.
• Charles Anyichie surpassed 50 career rebounds.

Up Next
• Georgian Court takes to the road this week for a regional game at St. Thomas Aquinas. Tip off is set for 7 pm.