AUGUSTA, Ga. - Turnovers and defensive rebounding proved to be costly, as the Anderson University men's basketball team opened the regular season with 75-62 loss to GRU Augusta in opening-round action of the South Atlantic Conference-Peach Belt Conference Challenge, Friday night at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

Making its second consecutive appearance and third overall appearance in the South Atlantic Conference-Peach Belt Conference Challenge, Anderson (0-1) outshot GRU Augusta (1-0), 48.8 percent to 47.3 percent, but lost the battle of the boards, 31-24, with the Jaguars pulling down 14 offensive rebounds. GRU Augusta also converted 17 AU turnovers into 23 points on the night.

Senior guard Myson Jones scored a team-high 19 points and dished out three assists, while fellow guard DJ McGowan added 14 points, three assists and a team-best six rebounds. Senior guard Nick Jackson chipped in 11 points and five rebounds.

GRU Augusta guard Keshun Sherrill scored a career-high 37 points, and was a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line. Forward Devon Wright-Nelson added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Jaguars, with guard Keith Crump tossing in 10 points.

The contest featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes, with the Trojans turning a one-point deficit late in the first half into a 35-30 halftime lead when McGowan and Lex Davis drained back-to-back 3-pointers inside the final 75 seconds of the opening stanza.

But the Jaguars opened the second half with a 17-5 outburst to take a 47-40 lead with just less than 15 minutes remaining in the contest. Alani Adekambi knocked down a trey and Steven Faust followed with a short left-handed jumper to give AU a 50-49 edge with 11:46 left, but it was the Trojans final lead of the night, as GRU Augusta responded with a 6-1 run to regain the advantage.

Anderson answered with four consecutive free throws to knot the score at 55-55, with 7:03 on the clock, but was unable to retake the lead, as the Jaguars scored five unanswered points and pushed out to a double-digit lead as the Trojans were forced to foul down the stretch.

Anderson will look to get in the win column when the Trojans square off against Clayton State Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.