Box Score CARROLLTON, Ga. - A 53-point outburst from the Columbus State Cougars proved to be the difference in the game at The Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, as the West Georgia Wolves fell 84-75 in the final non-conference matchup before Gulf South Conference play begins next week.
West Georgia dropped to 2-3 on the year with the loss while Columbus State moved to 5-1 with the victory.
The Wolves dominated the first 15 minutes of the first half, largely using the three-pointer to build as much as a 17-point lead in the period. West Georgia opened up, hitting 7-for-11 in that span from three-point range to build a 35-18 lead with 3:54 left in the first half.
Seth Brown-Carter led the way for the Wolves in the half, scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
But the final four minutes saw Columbus State turn up the intensity on both ends of the floor as the Cougars flipped the script to close out the first half on a 14-2 run, including a three-pointer with just seconds remaining in the period to cut the Wolves' advantage to 37-32 heading into the locker room.
West Georgia shot 48 percent from the floor in the opening period, with
Michael Zabetakis adding seven points and
J.J. Barnes with six.
Jalen Sasser opened the second half with a three-point play, hitting a layup and a free-throw after the foul, giving the Wolves a 40-32 advantage. In six minutes, the Cougars erased that advantage and took their first lead of the game at 47-45. West Georgia shot 46 percent from the field in the second half, but Columbus State hit 56 percent of their shots to take the victory.
Zabetakis scored 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the UWG offensive, with Brown-Carter just behind that with 16 points.
J.J. Barnes scored eight points, pulled nine rebounds, and dished out five assists in the game.
West Georgia will be back in action on Wednesday evening for Wolves Basketball Madness., facing West Florida in the 2021-22 Gulf South Conference opener. Tip for that one is set for 5:30 p.m. for the men and 7:30 p.m. for the women.
