Cougars Fall in Regular-Season Finale, 65-61 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

Saturday, February 25

Statesboro, GA

3pm

College of Charleston

Georgia Southern

Cougars Fall in Regular-Season Finale, 65-61 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

2/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

#articleRelated { display: none !important; } Cougar Erica Irick scored 23 points, while Sarah Moye added 10 rebounds, but it would not be enough as two Georgia Southern players posted double-doubles to lead the Eagle women's basketball team to the 65-61 win this afternoon at Hanner Fieldhouse in Statesboro, Ga.

GSU improves to 10-17 overall and 7-11 in the Southern Conference. The Cougars fall to 11-16 and 7-11. Both teams will await word on their seeding and opponent for the SoCon Tournament next week. The victory snaps a six-game losing streak for Georgia Southern, the longest by the program since the 1998-99 season.

Nicole Newton and Shawnda Atwood each scored 15 while Newton grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, the most by a GSU player since Dec. 22, 2003. Atwood totaled 11 boards. The duo helped Georgia Southern win the rebounding battle 55-32.

Irick led all players with 23 points, but shot 6-for-22 from the field and 4-for-14 from 3-point land. She was the only Cougar in double-figures.

Up by four at the half, the opening moments of the second period belonged to the Lady Eagles. Three different players contributed to a 6-1 run to help GSU take its largest lead of the game, 32-23.

Following a timeout, CofC answered with a three-pointer by freshman Jade Hughes and started to slowly decrease the deficit, eventually tying the contest at 36-36 on a lay-up by sophomore Erika Smith.

Ashley Melson answered with a triple to kickstart a 7-0 run, all by herself, as she followed up with a free throw and another trifecta.

Once again College of Charleston worked the lead back down and back-to-back treys from Irick and Hughes gave the Cougars the lead (49-47) for the first time since the 9:54 mark of the first half.

Georgia Southern wasted little time in answering. Senior Lee DuBose (Jefferson, Ga.) fed sophomore Chequilla Jessie inside for a lay-up and hit a bucket of her own for a two-point advantage.

The Lady Eagles continued to stay ahead and Newton's three-point play with 2:21 to go was the team's last field goal of the afternoon. Melson, Newton and Atwood hit seven of their next 10 free throw attempts to put the game away.

The first half was close the entire way as neither team led by more than four points. College of Charleston was up for most of the first four minutes, taking an 8-5 lead on a jumper by Smith, but DuBose answered with a three then went on top for the first time the next trip down the floor on a lay-up by Newton.

The lead changed hands several times over the next few minutes, but freshman Nya Daley's lay-in just after the 10-minute mark put the Lady Eagles on top 18-17, and would not trail for the rest of the period.

The score was tied for the final time (22-22) in the first half on a three-pointer by Irick with 3:46 to play. Atwood and Newton closed the half with jumpers and Georgia Southern took a 26-22 lead into the break. It was the largest lead for either team in the first half.

Neither team shot particularly well in the opening 20 minutes. GSU hit 28.6 percent from the floor while the Cougars hit 25.7 percent. The rebounding battle belonged to the Lady Eagles 31-21.