AUGUSTA, Ga. – Nigel Grant scored 14 of his team-high 16 points in the second half and put the UNC Pembroke men's basketball team up for good on a pair of free throws with 2:57 left to play as the Braves knocked off Peach Belt Conference-leading Augusta, 77-72, on Saturday afternoon in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
 
The triumph snapped a three-game series losing streak for the Braves (16-7, 9-5 PBC) who jockeyed themselves into a four-way tie for first place in the league standings. It was the third loss in the last four outings for the Jaguars (16-6, 9-5) who had their eight-game home win streak snapped as well.
 
Freshman Akia Pruitt turned in his third-straight double-double outing with 16 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Black & Gold who shot better than 54 percent in the second half. Brandon Watts added 11 points as well, while Fayetteville native Alex Bradley became the 34^th member of UNCP's 1,000-Point Club with 11 as well.
 
Keshun Sherrill scored a game-best 18 points for the hosts, while Tamyrik Fields added 15 points off the bench for the Jaguars.
 
A short jumper by Sherrill at the 7:12 mark in the second half gave Augusta a seemingly comfortable 64-57 advantage, but Grant's driving layup on the other end of the court signaled a 10-2 run for the visitors that put them up by one with 3:42 remaining. Sherrill connected on a jumper on the ensuing possession for the Jaguars, but Grant would inevitably give the Braves a lead they would not relinquish moments later.
 
Augusta led by as many as seven points in the opening half after a pair of free throws by Sherrill with 9:09 left before the break, but the Braves would grab the lead three minutes later after an old-fashioned 3-point play by James Murray-Boyles. The Jaguars would eventually take a 36-35 advantage into the break after an opening stanza that featured nine lead changes and seven tie scores.
 
UNCP will close out a two-game road trip on Monday when it treks to Greenwood, S.C., to battle division rival Lander (9-12, 6-6) in the back end of a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader at Horne Arena. The Braves defeated the Bearcats, 83-69, earlier this season in Pembroke.