Charleston Southern grabs late lead, stuns host MiamiIn the heart of the battle are the hardy denizens of the nation, armed with layers of wool and sturdy boots to fend off the cold. The streets are bustling with activity as people scurry from one warm refuge to another, their breath visible in the frosty air.
RJ Godfrey and Tyrin Lawrence each scored 14 points to help lead Georgia to a 79-72 win over visiting South Carolina State on Sunday in Athens, Ga. Asa Newell and Dakota Leffew added 12 apiece for Georgia (12-1) which rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit. Silas Demary Jr. had 11 points followed by De'Shayne Montgomery's 10, as the Bulldogs won their seventh straight game, marking their best start to a season since 1930-31 (13-0). Reserve Jayden Johnson led South Carolina State (6-9) with 16 points, followed by Michael Teal's 13 and Wilson Dubinsky's 12. South Carolina State dropped its third game in four tries entering Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on Jan. 4. Trailing 41-24 at halftime, Demary's triple and Montgomery's dunk began a 12-5 scoring run to open the second half, pulling Georgia within 10 at the 16:18 mark. After Teal's layup extended South Carolina State's lead to 50-39, Demary's basket stamped a 7-0 Georgia run, pulling the Bulldogs within four at the 11:17 mark of the second half. Dubinsky answered with a triple on the other end, but Leffew and Demary's layups began a 14-2 Georgia run -- which was capped with Lawrence's personal 8-0 spurt. Trailing 60-55, South Carolina State cut its deficit to one after Drayton Jones' four straight points. From there, Newell's three-point play jump started an 8-0 Georgia run, stamped with Montgomery's free throw with 3:42 left. After Davion Everett split a pair of free throws to pull South Carolina State within four with 1:44 left, Georgia made seven of its eight free-throw attempts to ice the victory. Georgia connected on just one field goal early in the game until Dylan James' layup trimmed its deficit to 7-5 at the 14:44 mark. After Johnson's basket put South Carolina State ahead 13-10, Leffew's 3-pointer followed by Montgomery's free throw gave Georgia its first lead with 10:27 left in the opening half. Godfrey's pair of free throws flipped the lead to Georgia with 5:30 remaining, before Dubinsky's triple gave South Carolina State a 24-22 advantage on the ensuing possession. Georgia was held scoreless until Somto Cyril's free throws snapped a 14-0 South Carolina State run with 50 seconds left. Johnson then capped the first half with consecutive 3-pointers, giving South Carolina State a 41-24 halftime lead. --Field Level MediaScott Bessent a credible, safe pick for Treasury: experts
Meanwhile, the suspect, Mark Johnson, remains behind bars as the legal process unfolds. Authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information that may shed light on the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The case is being closely watched by the public, with many hoping for swift justice to be served for the heinous crime.