AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Paine College men's basketball team dropped a 75-65 contest to Claflin Tuesday evening.

The Lions are now 2-4 on the season while Claflin improves to 4-0.

Nate Adams led the home team with a 16-point, 11-rebound performance for a double-double. Quinnton Jackson added 16 points to go along with four rebounds.

Jakobe Williams hit five-of-10 from the floor for 15 points while registering three steals. Kelvin Johnson narrowly missed a double-double with eight points and 10 boards.

The Lions trailed 21-12 midway through the first half, but the squad rattled off 18 points while giving up just nine more before halftime for a 32-30 edge. Down by eight, Adams made a free throw. Cooper Smith hit two charity tosses at the 8:54 mark to pull within five, 21-16.

Moments later, Kole Taylor found Jackson for a jumper, making it a two-point game. Down 27-19, Kelvin Johnson buried a jumper. With 4:43 to play, Kelvin Johnson made two free throws before a Williams made field goal pulled Paine within two at 27-25.

Down by five, 30-25, the Lions reeled off seven straight points to end the half. Williams made a lay-up and Calvin Johnson connected for an inside shot on the break. Johnson's lay-up with 1:09 to play put the home team up one, 31-30. Adams' free throw secured a two-point edge at the break.

The Lions built a four-point edge on three occasions early in the second half, with the last time coming on a Jackson lay-up at the 12:00 mark.  

The back-and-forth affair went in favor of Paine with 10:44 to go when Williams hit a free throw to make it 50-49. However, that marked the last lead of the game for the home squad.

For the game, Paine hit 22-of-57 from the floor (38.6 percent). The team accounted for 30 points in the paint and secured 14 points off Claflin's miscues. The team also registered 16 points on the break.

The Lions return to action Friday, Dec. 2 when they host Fort Lauderdale at 5 p.m.