Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 78, LaGrange 81
Records: Lions 12-9, 6-4 USA South, Panthers 12-9, 5-5 USA South
Location: LaGrange, Georgia - LaGrange College

LaGrange, GA - After a last-second victory Saturday, the Piedmont College men's basketball team attempted to repeat history but came up just short in an 81-78 loss to LaGrange. The Lions cut the lead to one with 29 seconds to play on a pair of PEYTON LUKEN free throws but were unable to connect again in the final seconds. 

It was the TRAE GAINES show early on as Gaines accounted for the first eight points on the board for Piedmont and 11 of the first 14 points. He ended the contest with 17 total points scoring 11 of those in the first 4:15 of the contest. 

Piedmont built a 10-point lead with 14:59 to play in the first half leading 15-5, but the Panthers pulled back within three points at the 10:01 mark trailing 19-16. LaGrange would use an 8-point run including six points from the charity stripe to take the lead 26-25 at the 7:25 mark. 

The two would battle back and forth with Piedmont leading by as many as five with just under 3:00 till the break, but the Panthers used a 12-4 run to lead 48-45 at the half. LaGrange would never trail in the contest again and led by as many as 18 (72-54) with 10:07 to play. 

Piedmont would battle back with a 19-3 run over the next six minutes to make it 75-73 with 4:22 to play with CHASE ENGLAND and ELIJAH ALSTON accounting for all 19 points during that run. The Lions pulled within one after a pair of PEYTON LUKEN free throws with 29 seconds to play, but it wasn't quite enough falling by three to the Panthers. 

Turning Point
--LaGrange used a 12-4 run over the final three minutes of the first half to secure a three point lead at the break and Piedmont was unable to overcome the difference as both teams scored 33 points in the second half. 

Standout Performances
--CHASE ENGLAND netted 25 points, tieing a season-high, while hitting four 3-pointers for the second straight game. 

Inside the Box Score
--The Lions surrendered 13 offensive rebounds leading to 15 second chance points while only grabbing seven offensive rebounds leading to four points. 

News & Notes
--Piedmont led by as many as 10 in the contest in the first half and trailed by as many as 18 before storming back in the second half. 

Up Next
--The Lions head to Maryville, Tennesee to take on the Scots of Maryville College Wednesday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m.

How to Follow
To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont College Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, Snapchat: @PiedmontLions and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.