AUGUSTA, Ga. | Augusta University built up as much as a 16-point lead in the first half and held off a furious second half rally by Young Harris College for a 70-68 Peach Belt Conference women's basketball victory Sunday (Dec. 17) afternoon at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

The Jaguars improved to 3-3 overall and to 1-1 in the league, while the Mountain Lions fell to 4-6 and 1-2. Young Harris plays its final game before the holiday break Tuesday (Dec. 19) when they travel to St. Augustine, Florida, when they play a 1 p.m. PBC game against Flagler College.

Augusta scored the game's first eight points before taking a 22-11 lead on a Jahmia Bradley three-pointer with 1:56 left in the first quarter. The Jaguars took their largest lead - 16 points (39-23) - with 2:44 remaining before halftime on Mallory Myers layup that culminated in seven unanswered points. 

The Mountain Lions started their comeback by scoring the final six points of the half to cut the deficit to 10 points (39-29) on a Briana Bell three-pointer, but Augusta rallied to build its lead back to 14 points (60-46) on a Joshlyn Belcher three-pointer with 8:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Young Harris again rallied, using a 15-2 run - including an 11-0 spurt - to tie the game at 66 with 2:29 left on a steal and layup by Ashlyn Ellison, who scored five points during the run. A putback by Moneisha Goldsborough 23 seconds later gave the Jags a 68-66. The Mountain Lions got the equalizer on a defensive round by Sara Jorgensen, who then sprinted through the Augusta defense for a layup with 49 seconds to go to tie the game at 68. 

Augusta missed a jumper on its next possession and the Mountain Lions turned the ball over on theirs before Cynara Pitt gave the Jaguars a 70-68 lead with four seconds left on a layup with off the YHC miscue. The Mountain Lions had one last chance to win the game, but Ge'Naisha Robinson's three-pointer at the buzzer was not successful.

"We dug ourselves a hole and had to fight for most of the second half to get back in the game," said Young Harris head coach Matt Stearsman. "We got back in it and gave ourselves a chance to win. We didn't execute and they did. Have to give Augusta a lot of credit for their defensive possession and their last bucket. Our team fought and I'm proud of that."

Jorgensen and Bell led the Mountain Lions with 14 points each, while Ellison, Robinson and Eryn Cochran finished with nine apiece. Sarah Garner led YHC with six rebounds.

Belcher led the Jaguars with 17 points, while Pitt had 16 and Bradley added 14. Goldsborough (11) and Brianna Middleton (10) also finished in double figures. Pitt added nine rebounds, while Bradley grabbed eight.