DAHLONEGA, Ga. | C.J. Wilson's jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining was the difference as Young Harris College held off cross-mountain rival University of North Georgia for an 84-82 Peach Belt Conference men's basketball victory Monday (Jan. 4) evening at Memorial Hall.
 
Young Harris won its fourth consecutive game as they improved to 6-7 overall and to 4-0 in the Peach Belt while the Nighthawks fell to 4-9 and to 2-2. The Mountain Lions returns to the YHC Basketball Arena Wednesday (Jan. 6) for a 7:30 p.m. league contest against Lander University.
 
The Mountain Lions took their largest lead of the game at 16 points (73-57) on a Wilson jumper with 8:13 to play. North Georgia used a 23-6 run over the next seven minutes culminated by a Tanner Plemmons three-pointer from the  left corner to give the Nighthawks their first lead since the opening moments of the game at 80-79 with 1:23 to play.
 
Wilson tied the game at 80 for the Mountain Lions as he hit the first of two free throws five seconds later. YHC retook the lead at 82-80 with 43.1 seconds left on a thunderous dunk from Marcellus Roberts cutting through the center of the lane off a Wilson assist. The Nighthawks tied the game at 82 when Corey Green hit two free throws with 29.2 seconds remaining.
 
Wilson, who is ranked 24th in the latest NCAA Division II statistics in scoring at 22.4 points per game, with time winding down nailed his top of the key jumper from the right side found the bottom of the net to give the Mountain Lions an 84-82 lead with 1.5 seconds left. After a timeout, UNG had one final attempt, but Roberts stole the inbounds pass to seal the win.
 
Wilson led Young Harris with 26 points, four assists and three steals. Ben Waterhouse added 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, including four three-pointers. Marques McKoy finished in double figures with 10 points. J.B. Charles and Roberts each finished with eight points with Charles pulling down a team-high seven rebounds.
 
T.J. Williams and Green led the Nighthawks with 17 points while Sean Brennan added 16 points and six assists. Juan Rivas added a double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.