COLUMBUS - Continuing a stretch of four games in eight days, the Columbus State University men's basketball team returns home to kick off the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend with a Peach Belt Conference game against Flagler. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. inside the Lumpkin Center.

On Wednesday, the Cougars suffered their first loss since Dec. 21 dropping an 80-65 decision on the road to North Georgia. UNG turned the final four points of the first half into a 14-0 run to help break the game open, despite a 20-point second half from Bryant Givens. Givens finished the game with 22 points while Anthony Moore added 10.

"We just didn't play with the same intensity that we have been," said head coach Robert Moore. "In this league, you can get beat by anyone. It doesn't matter if you are playing at home or on the road, all 12 teams can win any given night."

"Flagler presents some challenges for us and have one of the best players in the conference. We have to do the little things well because hustle plays count no matter if we are hitting shots or not."
 

CSU	Stats	FC
8-6, 3-3	Record	7-7, 3-3
79.0	PPG	83.1
76.3	Opp. PPG	79.3
46.3%	FG%	47.5%
46.5%	Opp. FG%	43.9%
34.7	Rebs/Game	37.1
35.2%	3PT FG%	39.6%
35.9%	Opp. 3PT FG%	37.2%
65.3%	FT%	71.3%
14.1	Assists/Game	17.8
9.6	Steals/Game	6.7
1.9	Blocks/Game	3.4

Game 15

Opponent: Flagler College
Date: Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Site: Lumpkin Center (4,500), Columbus, Ga.
Live Video Stream: Cougar Sports TV - Scott Miller, play-by-play. Mike Sanda, color.
All-time Series: CSU leads 10-2
Last Meeting: Feb. 27, 2019, in Columbus (CSU 68-60)

About Flagler

Flagler (7-7, 3-3 PBC) has had an up-and-down season entering Saturday's contest. FC has alternated wins and losses over the last seven games, and have only strung back-to-back wins together one time this year. On Wednesday, the Saints lost 88-79 at USC Aiken, despite trailing by as many as 20 in the second half.

Gedi Juozapaitis is one of the best combo guards in the PBC as he averages 19.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. Juozapaitis leads the conference in rebounding while ranking second in scoring. He has scored over 30 points three times, including a 35-point outing against Embry-Riddle. Damerit Brown (15.4 PPG) is a perimeter threat shooting 41.7 percent (53-for-127) from three. Juozapaitis and Brown both rank inside the top-10 in the nation in made 3-pointers this season. Derrick Ellis Jr. (12.1 PPG) is second in the PBC in assists per game averaging 6.3 a night.

Flagler likes to shoot the 3-ball as the Saints rank sixth among DII schools in made 3-pointers averaging over 12 per game. However, the Saints struggle to defend the perimeter allowing opponents to shoot 37.2 percent from three. Despite averaging just 7.5 offensive rebounds a night, FC is 14^th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game (29.6).

Cougar Notes

• Columbus State has made nine or more 3-pointers in each of the past four games.

• In the four-game stretch, CSU is shooting 42.0 percent (47-for-112) from beyond the arc.

• At the Division II level, the Cougars rank 17^th in steals per game (9.6). Individually, Bryant Givens is 16^th in steals per game (2.4).

• Karl Ivey has been a perimeter threat for the Cougars off the bench. The senior is fifth in the PBC in 3-point shooting with a 45.5 percent mark. 

• The Cougars have out-rebounded their opponent once over the previous seven games. When CSU whens the rebounding margin, the Cougars are 4-1. 

Series History

• The Columbus State-Flagler series dates back to 2009-10 when the Saints joined the Peach Belt. Since then, the two schools have met at least once in every season.

• The Cougars are 10-2 all-time against the Saints, including a 5-1 home mark. The Cougars have won the previous five meetings in Columbus.

• Last season, CSU swept a pair of games from FC with the Cougars picking up a 68-60 win to cap off the 2018-19 regular season in the Lumpkin Center. Columbus State has won four straight with Flagler's last win in the series coming on Dec. 17, 2016. 

Tweet #GoCSU