ATLANTA – The Georgia State women's basketball team (7-10, 2-3 SBC) secured a dramatic 72–70 overtime victory over the James Madison Dukes (11-7, 3-3 SBC) on Saturday at home, as Cheyenne Holloman scored the game-winning basket with 0.4 seconds remaining in overtime.
The Panthers saw four players score in double figures, led by Crystal Henderson's 16 points, five assists and three steals. Henderson also forced overtime with a clutch buzzer-beating triple at the end of regulation. Kaleigh Addie sparked Georgia State off the bench with 15 points and three steals, while Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu added 14 points, six rebounds and two steals in reserve action.
Georgia State's defensive effort proved pivotal, as the Panthers forced 17 James Madison turnovers while committing just 14 themselves. Those takeaways were converted into 25 points on the offensive end, with Addie leading the way individually with three steals.
How It Happened
Georgia State struggled out of the gate, falling behind 18-11 at the end of the first quarter.
JMU kept adding to that lead, building a 25-14 advantage before Georgia State went on a 7-0 run to narrow its deficit to 25-21. JMU responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Panthers trailing 34-23 heading into halftime.
After halftime, the Georgia State women's basketball team began to chip away at the deficit, trimming the margin to 45-36 before igniting a 6-0 run capped by a Kaleigh Addie three-pointer to pull within 45-42 with 1:44 remaining in the third quarter. James Madison answered down the stretch and carried a 51-44 advantage into the final period. Georgia State's bench provided a significant boost in the quarter, accounting for 12 of the team's 21 third-quarter points.
The Panthers continued to apply pressure in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 53-47 before rattling off a 7-0 run to claim a 54-53 lead with 5:41 left. The Dukes responded to tie the game at 63-63 and force overtime, as Crystal Henderson buried a clutch three-pointer at the buzzer to extend the contest. Georgia State capitalized on three JMU turnovers in the quarter, converting them into six points.
James Madison opened overtime with a 70-67 lead with 1:14 remaining, but Georgia State closed the game on a decisive 5-0 run. Cheyenne Holloman finished the rally with a driving layup in the final seconds, sealing a 72-70 Panthers victory.
Game Notes
» Holloman delivered the game-winning basket in the final moments of overtime.
» The Panthers erased a seven-point, 51–44 deficit in the third quarter to force overtime.
» Georgia State rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit (34–23) to push the game to overtime and secure the victory.
» Georgia State turned in a strong defensive performance, holding JMU to just 17 percent shooting from three-point range (4-for-24).
» The Panthers' bench played a pivotal role, contributing 33 points.
» Kaleigh Addie and Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu combined for 29 points off the bench, scoring 15 and 14.
» Georgia State's defense forced 17 James Madison turnovers.
» Crystal Henderson led the Panthers with 16 points.
» Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu paced Georgia State on the glass with a team-high six rebounds.
» Head Coach Gene Hill is one win away from reaching 100 career wins at Georgia State
Up Next
The Panthers host Georgia Southern in a second-round matchup Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. inside the GSU Convocation Center.
