NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Piedmont 81, Toccoa Falls 76 F/OT
Records: Toccoa Falls 1-6, Piedmont 1-0
 
TOCCOA, Ga. – The Piedmont College men's basketball team opened the 2019-20 season with a win on the road in OT over local foe Toccoa Falls College 81-76. Freshman ORRY CLEMENTS-OWENS had a hot start to his career with a 22-point performance to lead the Lions in his debut. 

It was a low-scoring contest through the early minutes as the Screaming Eagles led 11-9 after a three, but a 7-0 run for Piedmont put the Lions in front 16-11. Back-to-back three's for TFC put the Screaming Eagles back on top, but not for long. 

MICHAEL JOSEPH connected from downtown making it 21-20 in favor of the Lions and Piedmont held the lead at the half 28-25. In the opening minutes of the second half, Piedmont shutdown the Screaming Eagles going on a 15-0 run to start the half building a 43-25 lead with 13:37 to go.

Once the scoring started for Toccoa Falls, they used six 3-pointers to claw back in the contest. Toccoa Falls' Michael West scored 19 points in the second half totaling 29 in the game. 

Piedmont maintained a double-digit lead through nine minutes to play and built it back to 10 with a layup by Clements-Owens with 5:47 remaining. The Screaming Eagles outscored the Lions 16-6 over the final 5:06 with a layup with four seconds remaining to tie the game at 65 and force OT.

In overtime, Piedmont forced six turnovers en route to the 81-76 win. Toccoa Falls connected on a three to lead 68-67 but the Lions never trailed again to close out the game. 

The Lions made 10 3-pointers in the contest and shot 60% from the free throw line. 
 
TURNING POINT:
--Piedmont trailed just once in OT with seven points from Clements-Owens helping pave the way for victory.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Clements-Owens was a standout playing over 35 minutes with 22 points and four assists.
--Four Lions scored in double figures as four of five starters scored 10 or more. 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
--Piedmont led by as many as 18 in the contest going on a 15-0 run to start the second.

UP NEXT:
--The Lions head to Maryville, Tennessee for tournament action next weekend taking on Webster University on Saturday, November 16. 

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