Dahlonega, Ga. – The Converse University men's basketball team fell 84-59 on Wednesday evening to #4/#11 North Georgia inside the UNG Convocation Center.
 
With the loss, Converse drops to 1-2 overall on the season and North Georgia improves to 6-1 overall. The Valkyries are now 0-2 against Peach Belt teams this season and will have to wait for another opportunity to take down their first nationally ranked opponent.
 
Kyle Monk and Ben Jones led the Valkyries in scoring on Wednesday night. The duo came off the bench to combine for 25-points in the loss. Monk finished the game with 15 points, while Jones added 10 points against the Nighthawks.  


First Half Notes:

• North Georgia opened up the game on a 5-0 run, before the Valkyries Italian duo of Leo Da Campo and Edo Buffo scored on back-to-back layup attempts.
• Two possessions later, Sigurd Lorange drained a fastbreak three-pointer and the Valkyries held their first lead of the match at 9-8.
• North Georgia countered with an 8-2 spurt offensively to take back a 16-11 edge over Converse.
• The Valkyries stayed strong through the first hit from the Night Hawks offense, Jones and Lowe countered the North Greenville run with back-to-back three pointers. Converse held a 17-16 advantage with 11:51 to play in the half.
• The two teams then went back-and-forth scoring down the court as Converse clung to a 22-21 lead with 9:56 to play in the opening period.
• Going into the under eight media timeout the two teams were tied at 25. North Georgia scored the first five points coming out of the timeout break, putting the pressure back on the Valkyries.
• Converse hung with North Georgia shot-for-shot over the next several minutes of action. With 2:45 to play in the half, Caleb Reams hit a three-pointer and the Valkyries trailed 38-37.
• Jones scored the final three-points for the Valkyries in the first half as Converse went into the halftime break down 43-40.
• Converse shot 48 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range and 100 percent from the free throw line in the opening half.

Second Half Notes:

• Coming out of the halftime break, North Georgia hit back-to-back three-pointers and forced the Valkyries to take their first timeout of the half at the 18:47 mark of the period.
• North Georgia scored once again coming out of the timeout break and held a 51-40 edge over the Valkyries.
• Lorange scored the first points of the half for the Valkyries at the 17:25 mark of the period. Moments later Monk kept the Valkyries to deficit to single digits with a three pointer at the 15:25 mark of the half.
• In the final 10 minutes of game time the Valkyries offense went cold from the field as they made just three baskets the rest of the game.
• Due to the Valkyries scoring drought the Night Hawks were able to build a substantial lead against Converse.
• The Valkyries were outscored 41-19 in the second half, shooting 20 percent from the field, 16 percent from three-point range and 50 percent from the field.

Stat Leaders:
Points – Monk (15), Jones (10), Lowe (9)
Rebounds – Da Campo (6)
Assists – Buffo (3), Reams (3), Lowe (3)

Next Up:
The men's basketball team will stay on the road and travel to Francis Marion on Saturday afternoon for the start of Conference Carolinas action. Tip-off is slated for 4:00 p.m. in Florence, S.C.
 
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