Mount Olive erased a 13-point second-half deficit and held the lead in the final seconds of regulation, but the Trojans fell to Augusta State 73-70 in overtime Saturday at Augusta, Ga. Craig Hayes led the Trojans with 18 points, while Derek Staton scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half to fuel the comeback. Mount Olive had four attempts from three-point range in the final 11 seconds of overtime, but the Trojans couldn't get the tying basket to fall.

Mount Olive (7-3) never led in the second half until Dory Hines' three-point play with 1:12 remaining put the Trojans on top 68-67. Jordan McCain added a free throw with seven seconds left, but Augusta State (5-5) tied the game on Harold Doby's putback at the buzzer to force overtime.

Kason Cheeks' free throw 66 seconds into overtime was Mount Olive's only point of the extra period. Augusta State tied the game on a free throw and Devon Wright-Nelson's three-pointer with 1:38 remaining put the Jaguars ahead to stay. The Trojans had three offensive rebounds in their final possession.

The Trojans were down 46-33 with 15:37 left in regulation, but chipped away at the lead. Mount Olive cut the margin down to single figures and Staton single-handedly cut a seven-point deficit down to one, sinking all three free throws on a trip to the line and hitting a three-pointer to pull the Trojans within 62-61 with 4:50 left.

Staton hit another three with 1:58 left to tie the game 65-65. Augusta State went back on top 21 seconds later on a pair of free throws by O'Neal Armstrong, setting the stage for Hines.

Hines, who narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, hit a tying layup and drew a foul. Hines hit the free throw to give Mount Olive its first lead since 20-19 with 6:40 left in the first half. The Trojans maintained the lead, thanks to a missed Augusta State field goal and a pair of missed free throws. But after McCain's free throw, Doby tipped in a missed layup.

In the first half, Hayes hit a pair of three-pointers for Mount Olive in the first two-plus minutes of the contest and the Trojans took their biggest lead of the first half at 17-9 after Staton sank a pair of free throws with 10:08 left in the first half.  Augusta State took the lead for the remainder of the half as back-to-back three-pointers by Tye Beal and Harold Doby highlighted a 14-2 run and gave the Jaguars a 27-20 lead with 3:57 left before the break.

The Trojans got as close as four after Hines' layup with 2:31 remaining, but Augusta State went on to take a 33-26 halftime lead. Hayes had 10 of his points in the first half.

Cheeks matched a season high with 13 points to go with eight rebounds, while McCain added 10 points. Staton dished out a game-high seven assists. After struggling from the free throw line much of the season, Mount Olive was 27-for-38 from the line Saturday, including 18-for-23 (78.3 percent) in the second half.

Doby led all players with 22 points and 12 rebounds for Augusta State, while Beal finished with 16 points. The Jaguars shot 30-for-37 from the line (81.1 percent), including 9-for-10 by Doby.

Mount Olive opens Conference Carolinas play Tuesday as the Trojans play host to Coker as part of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader at Kornegay Arena. The women's game tips off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30.