Box Score BOWIE, Md. – Bowie State University men's basketball lost a heartbreaker on Saturday afternoon in its home opener, falling 87-86 in overtime against Georgia Regents University Augusta. PHOTOS

Senior Ray Gatling (Oxon Hill, Md.) scored a team-high 25 points and added four assists while fellow senior Carlos Smith (Baltimore, Md.) recorded a double-double of 24 points (career-high) and 11 rebounds in the setback.

Free throws were the downfall as the Bulldogs shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the charity stripe. On the flip side, GRU Augusta was slightly better, knocking down 21-of-34 (61.8 percent).

"Free throws were a contributing factor in the loss, but we also made some defensive coverage errors late in the game and we just can't do that", stated head coach Darrell Brooks.

The Bulldogs struggled making shots in the first half, hitting only 38.5 percent of its shots and trailed 36-27 at halftime.

Bowie State (1-3) shot well in the final 20 minutes, hitting 16-of-26 from the field (61.5 percent), which included 4-of-7 in overtime.

The Bulldogs went ahead in the opening minute off a dunk from Brian Freeman. A Ryan Weems (Miramar, Fla.) three pointer put the Jaguars (2-1) on the board and set the tempo for the offense. Weems ended the night with five from the arc. After missing a layup on the next GRU possession, Ronell Crockett (Anderson, S.C.) stole it back and drove the lane for a lead-taking layup.

Crockett's layup put the Jaguars ahead until the 16:58 mark. Bowie State's Gatling knotted the game at 38 with a 3-point bucket. KJ Sherrill (Cleveland, N.C.) grabbed an offensive rebound and got a tip-back basket to retake the advantage for Georgia Regents.

The Jaguars had a nine-point lead with less than five minutes to play when the Bulldog comeback began. With 14 seconds left in regulation, Carlos Smith (Baltimore, Md.) got to the free-throw line and made one of two to force overtime with a 72-all score.

GRU scored first in OT with a Weems jumper, but Bowie State's Smith hit another 3-pointer for his 24th point. Weems showed off his range with 31 seconds left, hitting two treys in 13 seconds. Down by one, Keshun Sherrill (Cleveland, N.C.) hit a jumper to put him into double figures and gave Georgia Regents the lead. Gatling made it 86-all with a free throw, but Harold Doby got to the line for the Jags where he made one for the win.

Weems led GRU Augusta with 27 points and Keshun Sherrill along with D'Angelo Boyce (Annandale, Va.) chipped in 11 points each in the victory. KJ Sherrill hauled down a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with eight points, four assists a block and two steals.

The Bulldogs travel to Philly next Thursday (11/21) to take on Holy Family University in a 7 pm non-conference tilt before returning home to face Concordia (N.Y.) at 4 pm on Saturday (11/23).