Box Score Atlanta, GA - The Piedmont College men's basketball team suffered its first loss in its last four games falling 81-67 to the Stormy Petrels of Oglethorpe University earlier this evening.  The Lions fall to 4-2 on the season while Oglethorpe uses the win to move to 8-1 on the season.

The Stormy Petrels quickly got out ahead going on a 10-2 run to start tonight's action before an Alton Honors II three-pointer cut the lead down to five just over three minutes into the game.  Though PC continued to trail in the first half, the Lions continued to battle with the home team who had won seven of eight coming into tonight's contest. 

Piedmont closed to within one when freshman Brian Edwards scored a three-pointer to put the scoreboard at 19-18 OU with almost eight minutes gone in the first.  It was a one-possession game for the next four minutes before OU scored on three-straight possessions to go up by nine at 29-20 with seven to play.

The Lions refused to back down though as the visitors scored six straight to again put it to a one-possession game.  However, OU went on to close the half scoring 17 of the final 25 points in the half to take a 46-34 lead into the locker rooms.

Coming out for the second half, the two would trade buckets back and forth over the first five minutes of the period.  An Alton Honors II bucket at the 15:25 mark cut the OU lead to ten as the Lions tried to bring the margin back down to single digits for the first time in the half. 

The Stormy Petrels responded by scoring six straight points to again make the home crowd feel comfortable as Piedmont looked to be struggling to keep OU within striking distance the rest of the night.  Despite the stormy outlook, the Lions continued to battle as Jessie Jenkins helped PC cut the OU lead down to single digits with his jumper at the 9:48 mark that put the score 59-50 favoring the home team.

With just more than 5:30 to play, Honors II hit a key three-point bucket to trim the margin down to just seven points at 63-56.  OU held strong on the next few Piedmont possessions forcing a turnover and a missed shot, and with 2:51 left, Stormy Petrel Tyler Courson connected on OU's biggest shot of the second half drilling a three-pointer to push the home team lead up to 13 with time now winding down in Atlanta. 

OU would go on to close out the 14-point victory snapping Piedmont's three-game winning streak as the Lions fell to an in-state foe for the first time in 2013-14.  PC is now 3-1 against foes from the Peach State after having won their last three against teams from the state of Georgia. 

Scoring 20 points to lead his team in that category was Alton Honors II as the junior shot 80% from the field connecting on three of his four tries from beyond the three-point line.  Honors II is second on the team this season in scoring average tallying 13.8 points per, second only to former South Region Rookie of the Year Jessie Jenkins who was held to a season-low eight points in today's loss shooting four of six from the field.

Coming up just one assist short of a double-double was point guard Safari Smith who scored 11 points and collected nine helpers in the game.  Smith had 12 points and eight assists in PC's last contest, a home win over Berry, as he continues to be a steady piece of the Piedmont offensive attack. 

The Lions fall to 4-2 on the season with today's 81-67 loss to their in-state rival who won their third straight contest after opening up 5-0 on the season.  OU's only loss came at the hands of USA South member LaGrange College who knocked off the Stormy Petrels by eight on November 30.

Piedmont now will have ten days off from competition before traveling to participate in the prestigious Don Lane Classic hosted by Transylvania University where the Lions will face a pair of NCAA National Tournament teams.  That tourney will start with a battle with the tourney host for PC as the Lions take on Transylvania on December 17th with tip off set for 7:30 pm.