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Atlanta, GA -- The Piedmont College men's basketball earned a hard-fought road victory tonight 76-73 over host Oglethorpe University in a tightly contested game at OU's Pinholster Court.  The Lions scored the game's final five points after trailing by two with just over a minute remaining.

The game featured 11 lead changes and seven ties with the largest lead for either team being a mere six points.  Piedmont was able to gain an advantage on the glass 37-26.  Additionally, the Lions' bench tallied 32 points from non-starters while OU managed only five.

After an OU three-point basket with 1:41 remaining, Piedmont answered out of a time out with a three-pointer of its own from Sam Coppage.  After earning a defensive stop, the Lions used another time out with the result being another Coppage basket and a three-point lead.  The Stormy Petrels used a pair of time outs of their own in the final 10 seconds but could not get off the game-tying attempt. 

Piedmont used its most balanced effort of the season with four players in double-figures and another three with seven or more points.  Coppage ended the night with 14 points in 26 minutes of action while Michael Rubio and Josh Haymore added 12 and 11 respectively with the duo combining to connect on 4-9 three-point baskets.  #J.C. Herebia# added 10 points for PC.

Tracey Gardner led the Lions on the glass with a team-high eight boards as seven different players tallied three or more rebounds. 

The win moves the Lions to 3-2 overall on the young season while Oglethorpe, which was receiving votes in the D3Hoops.com preseason national poll, drops to 2-3. 

Piedmont will take a few days off for final exams before returning to action Thursday, December 10 with a road game at NCAA Division I Mercer University in Macon with tip-off set for 7:00 PM.