By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
After a scorching start to the new year, both USC Beaufort basketball teams have worked their way closer to the top of the Peach Belt Conference standings.
The USCB men ran their winning streak to five games with a 77-75 win over No. 10 North Georgia on Saturday in The Cove, pulling within a half-game of league leader Lander after Dominic Eason’s game-winner stunned the Nighthawks.
The Sand Sharks had their win streak snapped Monday, falling 114-112 to visiting Fayetteville State in a non-conference matchup that featured eight ties and 12 lead changes.
The Sand Shark women improved to 10-7 overall and 7-3 in PBC play with a 68-64 win over North Georgia on Saturday in The Cove, pulling USCB within a half-game of the Nighthawks and Columbus State. The Sand Sharks went 5-13 in league play in their inaugural season and 4-14 a year ago, falling short of qualifying for the eight-team PBC Tournament each year, but they are in position to secure a first-round home game this year, if they can keep up their winning ways.
USC Aiken visits The Cove on Saturday with the women’s game tipping off at 1:30 p.m. and the men’s game to follow. The Sand Shark women beat the Pacers 72-64 in Aiken on Dec. 3, while the men dropped a 74-73 heartbreaker in a rematch of last year’s PBC Tournament championship game.
Bowman named PBC Player of the Week
After leading the USCB women to wins over Georgia Southwestern and North Georgia last week, Taniyah Bowman was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week on Monday, her second such honor this season.
Bowman averaged 24 points, 5.5 rebounds, two assists, and a steal in a 74-66 win at Georgia Southwestern on Wednesday and a 68-64 victory over North Georgia on Saturday in The Cove. Bowman scored a team-high 26 points and drained six straight free throws down the stretch to help USCB knock off the first-place Nighthawks.
