YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Marcellus Roberts scored a career-high 25 points to lead Young Harris College past its cross-mountain rival University of North Georgia 96-86 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball contest Wednesday (Feb. 3) at the YHC Basketball Arena.
 
The Mountain Lions improved to 12-10 overall and remain in a three-way tie for first place in the PBC West Division with a 10-3 ledger while North Georgia fell to 4-18 and 2-11. Young Harris travels to Pembroke, North Carolina, Saturday (Feb. 6) at 3:30 p.m. against the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
 
Roberts, who missed the past two games due to an illness, was sensational off the bench for the Mountain Lions as he went 12-of-19 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds (five offensive) in 23 minutes of action. C.J. Wilson added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds while Ben Waterhouse added 13 points and six assists.
 
Young Harris, which led for all but three minutes, broke the game open in the final moments of the first half as they scored nine unanswered points to close out the opening 20 minutes to take a 52-42 lead into the locker room.
 
The Mountain Lions, which scored 27 points off 22 UNG turnovers, scored the first four points of the second half to open up a 56-42 lead on a steal and layup by Wilson with 19:12 to go. North Georgia trimmed the lead down to eight points (69-61) after Ebo Smith hit a three-pointer with 12:33 remaining.
 
Young Harris, which shot 48.4 percent (39-of-80) from the field, thwarted any thoughts of Nighthawk rally like last month in Dahlonega, as they used an 11-3 run to open up a 93-76 lead with 3:14 left on a Roberts' stick back.
 
T.J. Williams led North Georgia with 19 points and six rebounds while Sean Brennan added 18 points and seven rebounds. Smith finished with 14 points while Juan Rivas and Michael Varrichione added 12 points apiece. Rivas grabbed 10 rebounds while Varrichione added six more.