MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery Men's Basketball Team opened up its 2021-22 home slate with a 71-61 setback to the Nighthawks of the University of North Georgia on Tuesday, Nov. 23.
 
With the loss, AUM's record sits at 1-4 through five games.
 
Sam Youngblood notched a team-high 21 points for his second 20-point performance of the season. The freshman guard knocked with seven field goals, including a 4-8 shooting performance on threes.
 
Jeremiah Bozeman finished one rebound shy of a double-double, tallying 14 points and nine boards. Isaiah Hart added 10 points while James Graham grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds with four points scored.
 
Roderick Smith helped contribute to a season-high eight blocks by the Warhawks with five of his own. The junior center also accounted for eight rebounds and four points.
 
Both teams struggled out the gate, combining to knock down just eight of 23 shots for an 8-8 score at the 12:45 mark. The Nighthawks would heat up over the next two minutes, however, converting on five of their next six shots as part of a 12-4 run to lead 20-12 at the 9:56 mark.
 
After cutting their deficit to 21-18 at the 7:39 mark the Warhawks would see UNG outscore them 11-6 over the next four minutes and change to expand their lead to 32-24, eventually giving way to a 39-32 halftime score.
 
A Hart layup at the 16:06 mark in the second half trimmed AUM's deficit to just 46-40, but the Nighthawks would follow with an 11-5 run over the next four minutes to extend their lead to 57-45. UNG would continue to keep its foot on the gas over the next five minutes, going four of six on field goals and three of four on free throws as part of a 12-4 run to go up 69-49 at the 6:04 mark.
 
AUM outscored UNG 12-2 over the game's final five minutes, but it would ultimately not be enough to overcome the deficit.
 
The Warhawks shot 32 percent (24-74) from the floor, with a 38 percent (14-36) efficiency in the first half and a 26 percent (10-38) clip in the second.

AUM swiped a season-best 15 steals in the contest, with Bozeman recording a game-high give. The Warhawks additionally registered 32 points in the paint, 16 points off turnovers, and 15 second-chance points.
 
The men's basketball team will be back in action at home on Saturday, Nov. 27 when they host Georgia College at 2:00 p.m. (CST) from the AUM Gymnasium.
 
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