STATESBORO, Ga. - Three Lady Eagles scored in double-digits, combining
for 35 points, and leading Georgia Southern to a 64-47 Southern
Conference victory over College of Charleston, Saturday afternoon (Jan.
19), at Hanner Fieldhouse. With the win, Georgia Southern remains
unbeaten at home (7-0) and extends its win-streak to five games.
Georgia Southern improves to 10-8 overall and 6-1 in conference play
and claims sole possession of the second spot in the SoCon rankings,
behind only Chattanooga (7-0). Charleston's loss brings a four-game
win-streak to an end as the Cougars fall to 9-8 overall and 5-2 in
league play.
Senior guard Tiffany Brown (Waxhaw, N.C.) came off the bench to lead
all scorers with 14 points, hitting each of her field-goals from
three-point land (3-of-5), and going 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Prior to tip-off, she was recognized for her 1,000-point career
milestone that was achieved just Monday (Jan. 14) in the win vs.
Furman.
Solid performances by senior guard Shawnda Atwood (Pensacola, Fla.) and
sophomore forward Jessica Geiger (Stone Mountain, Ga.) added 10 and 11
points, respectively. Geiger went 4-of-6 from the field and tallied
four rebounds and three blocked shots, while Atwood hit a pair of
three-pointers and pulled down five rebounds.
Sophomore forward J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) paced the team with
six rebounds.
CofC was led by Nikki Williams with 13 points, going 7-of-9 from the
charity stripe, and pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds on the day.
She was followed by Erika Smith with 11 points and Deidra Jones with 10
points.
The Cougars jumped out to an early 7-0 lead within the first two
minutes of the game, capped by a three-pointer by Brooke Kotcella at the
18:37 mark.
Atwood's triple on the next possession broke the GSU scoring drought
and sparked an 18-0 run over the next seven minutes, claiming an 18-7
advantage with 11:14 remaining in the first half.
During that window, Charleston missed 10-consecutive shots before Erika
Smith stopped the scoring drought on a jumper, closing the GSU lead to
nine points, 18-9.
But Georgia Southern continued to widen the gap and ultimately pushed
the lead to 15 points thanks to Geiger's triple at the 5:22 mark.
Charleston fought back to close the gap to five points and trailed
Georgia Southern 28-23 going into the break.
Georgia Southern held CofC to 21.4 percent (6-of-28) from the field in
the first half, thanks in part to a sturdy GSU defense that blocked six
shots. The Lady Eagles shined from the field, hitting 12-of-28 (.429)
of their field goal attempts before the break.
Geiger paced the team with 10 points at the half, hitting all four
field-goal attempts, while CofC's Nikki Williams dropped 10 points to
lead her team.
In second-half action, Charleston managed to close the gap to just
three points (32-29) after Ashley Scott hit 1-of-2 of her free-throw
attempts with 16:47 on the clock, and later on Sarah Moye's jumper at
the 10:08 mark again brought the Cougars to within three points
(41-38).
But Georgia Southern never relinquished its first half lead, getting
big three-pointers off the hands of Brown and sophomore guard Carolyn
Whitney (Duluth, Ga.). Brown scored all of her 14 points in the second
half, which combined with Whitney's seven, and the Lady Eagles held on
for the key victory over the Cougars.
Although the Cougars won the rebounds margin 47-38, Georgia Southern
finished the game going 21-of-51 (.412) from the field, compared to
CofC's 13-of-57 (.228) outing.
Georgia Southern's bench outscored the Cougars 23-16, while CofC
tallied a 14-8 advantage in points in the paint. GSU scored 25 points
off of CofC's 19 miscues, compared to 13 Cougar points off of 13 GSU
turnovers.
The Lady Eagles will take a week off before concluding their four-game
homestand, hosting Western Carolina, Saturday, January 26, at Hanner
Fieldhouse. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.
for 35 points, and leading Georgia Southern to a 64-47 Southern
Conference victory over College of Charleston, Saturday afternoon (Jan.
19), at Hanner Fieldhouse. With the win, Georgia Southern remains
unbeaten at home (7-0) and extends its win-streak to five games.
Georgia Southern improves to 10-8 overall and 6-1 in conference play
and claims sole possession of the second spot in the SoCon rankings,
behind only Chattanooga (7-0). Charleston's loss brings a four-game
win-streak to an end as the Cougars fall to 9-8 overall and 5-2 in
league play.
Senior guard Tiffany Brown (Waxhaw, N.C.) came off the bench to lead
all scorers with 14 points, hitting each of her field-goals from
three-point land (3-of-5), and going 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Prior to tip-off, she was recognized for her 1,000-point career
milestone that was achieved just Monday (Jan. 14) in the win vs.
Furman.
Solid performances by senior guard Shawnda Atwood (Pensacola, Fla.) and
sophomore forward Jessica Geiger (Stone Mountain, Ga.) added 10 and 11
points, respectively. Geiger went 4-of-6 from the field and tallied
four rebounds and three blocked shots, while Atwood hit a pair of
three-pointers and pulled down five rebounds.
Sophomore forward J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) paced the team with
six rebounds.
CofC was led by Nikki Williams with 13 points, going 7-of-9 from the
charity stripe, and pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds on the day.
She was followed by Erika Smith with 11 points and Deidra Jones with 10
points.
The Cougars jumped out to an early 7-0 lead within the first two
minutes of the game, capped by a three-pointer by Brooke Kotcella at the
18:37 mark.
Atwood's triple on the next possession broke the GSU scoring drought
and sparked an 18-0 run over the next seven minutes, claiming an 18-7
advantage with 11:14 remaining in the first half.
During that window, Charleston missed 10-consecutive shots before Erika
Smith stopped the scoring drought on a jumper, closing the GSU lead to
nine points, 18-9.
But Georgia Southern continued to widen the gap and ultimately pushed
the lead to 15 points thanks to Geiger's triple at the 5:22 mark.
Charleston fought back to close the gap to five points and trailed
Georgia Southern 28-23 going into the break.
Georgia Southern held CofC to 21.4 percent (6-of-28) from the field in
the first half, thanks in part to a sturdy GSU defense that blocked six
shots. The Lady Eagles shined from the field, hitting 12-of-28 (.429)
of their field goal attempts before the break.
Geiger paced the team with 10 points at the half, hitting all four
field-goal attempts, while CofC's Nikki Williams dropped 10 points to
lead her team.
In second-half action, Charleston managed to close the gap to just
three points (32-29) after Ashley Scott hit 1-of-2 of her free-throw
attempts with 16:47 on the clock, and later on Sarah Moye's jumper at
the 10:08 mark again brought the Cougars to within three points
(41-38).
But Georgia Southern never relinquished its first half lead, getting
big three-pointers off the hands of Brown and sophomore guard Carolyn
Whitney (Duluth, Ga.). Brown scored all of her 14 points in the second
half, which combined with Whitney's seven, and the Lady Eagles held on
for the key victory over the Cougars.
Although the Cougars won the rebounds margin 47-38, Georgia Southern
finished the game going 21-of-51 (.412) from the field, compared to
CofC's 13-of-57 (.228) outing.
Georgia Southern's bench outscored the Cougars 23-16, while CofC
tallied a 14-8 advantage in points in the paint. GSU scored 25 points
off of CofC's 19 miscues, compared to 13 Cougar points off of 13 GSU
turnovers.
The Lady Eagles will take a week off before concluding their four-game
homestand, hosting Western Carolina, Saturday, January 26, at Hanner
Fieldhouse. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.