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Saturday, December 08, 2007
Gilmore, Carr prevent AU collapse
Late game heroics by Brian Gilmore and Garrison Carr helped American avoid blowing another halftime lead in 52-50 win over Jacksonville.

Actually, that is a little misleading. The Eagles (6-4) did cough up the 27-22 advantage they held at the intermission. At one point late in the second half, that 5-point edge turned into a 7-point hole.

Then Carr and Gilmore arrived carrying shovels. With AU trailing 48-41, with 3:41 to play, Carr broke an 0 for 9 game-long slump with a jumper that started a decisive 11-2 end of game run for the Eagles. Carr followed his first make with a steal that led to a pair of free throws to pull AU within 3.

After Bryce Simon hit 1 of 2 at the foul line to make it a 2-point game, Gilmore tied it with a short jumper with 1:33 to go. Jacksoville (3-5) bumped the lead back to 2 on a, Ayron Hardy layup. Then Gilmore found Carr for the last of the game's 10 ties.

Gilmore was not done. With 31 seconds left, he got the ball back for the Eagles by drawing a charge on Jacksonville's Lehmon Colbert. After a timeout, AU ran the clock down to 3 seconds before Carr put up a shot that was blocked by Paul Kohlheim and rebounded by Gilmore. Gilmore, who was fouled on the play, hit both free throws to give Au the win.

Free throws were a key for Au. Jacksonville had two more field goals (19 of 46, 41.3 percent), and four more three-pointers (Jax was 5-13 from the arc). But AU went to the line 10 more times and made 10 more free throws (17 of 21), offsetting Jacsonville's edge from the field. American shot 28.6 percent (17-44) and was just 1 for 11 from the arc.

Carr, AU's leading scorer, finished with 5 points, more than 10 below his average. Carr was 2-12 from the field.

Derrick Mercer led the Eagles with 17 points, including a perfect 7 for 7 at the foul line. Gilmore added 13.
Box score | AP

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Published at 7:31 AM by Hoop Time.
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