WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
* GSU shot 36% from the field, 30% from the FT line and 26% outside the 3-point line in a 61-50 Sun Belt loss to Georgia Southern Tuesday.
* It was still a two-possession game at 45-40 with eight minutes to play, but GSU could never warm up and make its shots.
* GSU played without four key players, including three starters, with Erica Norwood scoring 13 points and Alaysia Mitchell adding 12 points.
ATLANTA – With shooting as frigid as the winter night, Georgia State succumbed to Georgia Southern 61-50 in Sun Belt women's basketball in the GSU Sports Arena.
The host Panthers hit just 21-of-57 shots (36%), hit just 26 percent of 3-point shots and even just 30 percent of its free throws (3 of 10). They compounded the cold shooting with 17 turnovers and the results were what would be expected of those numbers.
“We missed so many close shots, were out of synch and nothing was happening offensively for us tonight,” head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener said. “We had way too many unforced turnovers and just couldn't get the ball in the basket from point blank range.”
The first quarter saw four lead changes and three ties as the visitors edged ahead 17-14 on a 3-point basket with two seconds left by Angel McGowan, who finished with the final eight points and 13 of thos 17 Eagle points. In the second quarter, the teams traded hoops in a 13-11 stanza as Southern went into the locker rooms with a 30-25 lead.
In the third quarter, when GSU closed to 35-32 at 5:41, Southern went on a 6-0 run with McGowan's fifth 3-pointer a spark. The Eagles led the Panthers 43-37 after three quarters. In the fourth with the score 45-40 and eight minutes to play, Southern got five straight points to make it 50-40 and GSU never really challenged after that.
Junior guard Erica Norwood led GSU with 13 points and three 3-point baskets, while junior forward Alaysia Mitchell added 12 points and eight rebounds. Point guard Madison Newby had nine assists. The Panthers played without three starters: preseason All-Conference Makeba Ponder (13.3 ppg), starting forward Astaja Tyghter (9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and starting wing Tatianna Jackson (7.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg), as well as reserve Kierra Henry (4.3 ppg). This was GSU's third game in six days and the Panthers move on to make it four games in eight days with a contest Thursday at Appalachian State.
Georgia Southern was a one-woman offense tonight with Angel McGowan pouring in 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting and five 3-point baskets as the lone Eagle in double figures. This win gives Southern a point in the Rivalry Series and closes its gap to 5-3 before the men's game tonight.
