MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Playing in their final game of the 2017-18 season the Auburn Montgomery men's basketball team dropped an 86-80 decision to Gulf South Conference foe West Georgia on Thursday evening at the AUM Gymnasium.
 
NOTES
• AUM finishes the season at 9-19 overall and 5-15 in the Gulf South.
• UWG improves to 14-13 on the year with a 9-11 mark in league play.
• The victory also secured a berth in the upcoming GSC Basketball Tournament beginning next week. The Wolves will be the No. 8 seed in the tournament and will take on No. 1 seed Valdosta State on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
• The Wolves sweep the season series with the Warhawks, having earned a 103-100 victory over AUM on Jan. 9.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Senior Jarett Croff posted his fourth double-double of the season tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• Senior forward Lafayette James-Core scored a team-high 15 points for AUM, adding two blocks and two steals.
• Junior guard Desmond DeRamus scored 14 and added three assists for the Warhawks.
• UWG's Marquill Smith tallied a game-high 39 points while also pulling down a season-high 17 rebounds.
• Vinko Glavan, Karlos Odum and William Sides tallied 10 points apiece for the Wolves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• AUM took the early advantage, taking a 12-7 lead with 15:13 to play on a DeRamus fastbreak dunk.
• Odum would give the Wolves their first lead at the 11:15 mark, hitting a pair of free throws to put UWG up 18-17.
• The two teams would trade the lead back and forth before sophomore guard Darrion Taylor hit a 3-pointer with 4:15 to go in the first to put AUM up 37-36.
• Smith would hit a trey on the next possession to give the Wolves the lead once again, as UWG finished the first on an 11-6 run to take a 47-43 advantage into the break.
• UWG would push its lead to as much as 10 points in the early goings of the second half but AUM would not go away quietly. James-Core cut the lead to 53-51 with 16:12 to play on a fastbreak dunk, igniting the home faithful in the process.
• The Wolves would cling to their advantage, and James-Core would pull the Warhawks to within 58-57 with 12:26 on the clock.
• UWG would then go on a 15-6 run over the next four minutes, taking a 72-63 lead on a Vinko jumper in the paint with 8:14 to play.
• Once again the Warhawks would respond, cutting the lead to 77-76 on a Kenneth Keith trey at the 2:04 mark.
• However, UWG would hold off the AUM comeback attempt, converting 5-of-6 free throws over the final :34 seconds to secure the 86-80 victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
• The two teams combined to take 165 shots (AUM - 81, UWG – 84)
• UWG outrebounded AUM 65-49.
• Both teams scored 42 points in the paint.
• AUM outscored the Wolves 17-3 in points off turnovers.
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will officially head into the offseason after the contest, as AUM is ineligible for postseason play due to its transition to full time NCAA Division II member status.
 
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