YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Columbus State University rallied from an 11-point deficit midway through the second half as the Cougars defeated Young Harris College 86-83 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Sunday (Jan. 24) afternoon at the YHC Basketball Arena.
                                                                        
The 25th-ranked Cougars improved to 13-4 overall and to 7-3 in the Peach Belt while the Mountain Lions fell to 10-9 and 8-2. Young Harris returns to action Wednesday (Jan. 27) with a 7:30 p.m. PBC contest against Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia.
 
Columbus State led the entire first half as they took a 39-35 lead at the half.  Young Harris took its first lead of the game 43-41 on a Marques McKoy layup after a C.J. Wilson steal with 17:51 to play. The Mountain Lions opened up an 11-point advantage (60-49) with 12:07 to play on a shorter jumper by Wilson culminated an 8-2 run.
 
The Cougars, who started the second half shooting 2-of-10 from the floor, used a 16-4 run to retake the lead at 65-64 on a Brentine Taylor dunk with 7:04 to play. Over the next five minutes, there were four ties and one lead change before the Cougars, who finished the half hitting 17-of-26 from the floor, scored five unanswered points to open up an 82-77 lead on a Arben Camaj putback with 39.6 seconds.
 
Young Harris got back within 85-83 after a putback by J.B. Charles with eight seconds left. Cam Baker hit one of two free throws with seven seconds left to give the Cougars an 86-83 lead. Young Harris had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Wilson's three-pointer hit off the rim as time expired.
 
Baker led the Cougars with 32 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor while Taylor added 25 points on 12-of-18 shooting. Taylor grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass.
 
Wilson led Young Harris with 32 points and seven assists while Ben Waterhouse and Marcellus Roberts added 14 points apiece. McKoy recorded a double double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.