COLUMBUS, Ga. – DeAngelo Kirkland led Columbus State University with 16 points as the Cougars held on for a 65-59 Peach Belt Conference men's basketball victory over Young Harris College Saturday (Jan. 24) afternoon at the Lumpkin Center.

The Cougars won their eighth consecutive game as they improved to 15-2 overall and to 9-1 in the Peach Belt while Young Harris fell to 5-11 and 2-8. Young Harris will host Georgia College in a 7:30 p.m. PBC contest Wednesday (Jan. 28) at the YHC Basketball Arena. It will be Most Outstanding Professor Night as well as the annual Purple Out contest for the Mountain Lions.

Columbus State, which led for the entire game, took a 28-20 lead at the half as the Mountain Lions shot just 24.2 percent (8-of-33) in the opening 20 minutes.

The Cougars scored the first eight points to start the second half and open up a 36-20 lead on a Shane Heyward jumper in the paint with 16:57 to play. However, the Mountain Lions scored 13 of the next 16 points to close within six points (39-33) on a steal and layup by Isaiah Johnson, who had five points during that stretch, with 13:32 remaining.

Columbus State built its lead back to double figures – 11 points (53-42) – after a B.J. Battle three-pointer with 5:59 left to play. However, the Mountain Lions mounted another rally as got as close as four points (63-59) on a layup by Kevin Altidor with 73 second to play, but that would be the final points scored by Young Harris.

"We played really hard," said Young Harris head coach Pete Herrmann. "We kept coming back, but we couldn't make enough shots. Our rebounding was better tonight, but we did convert enough. You have to credit Columbus' three seniors (Kenney Funderburk, B.J. Battle and DeAngelo Kirkland). They made their shots when they needed them."

Kirkland, who also finished with 18 rebounds, added two insurance free throws with 13 second left for the Cougars. Heyward also finished in double figures with 10 points.

Johnson led the Mountain Lions with 16 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals while C.J. Wilson added 13 points and seven rebounds. Altidor battled through foul trouble to score 12 points and grab seven rebounds.