Strong Second Half Spurs Eagle Win

STATESBORO, Ga. -- Eric Ferguson's (Statesboro, Ga.) 22 points and 10 rebounds helped lift Georgia Southern to an 86-74 win over Brewton-Parker Saturday night at Hanner Fieldhouse. Ferguson, who led the team in scoring and rebounding, recorded his first collegiate double-double. Brewton-Parker's DeMario Black was the game's leading scorer with 27 points while teammate Gerald Kohn snatched a team-high six rebounds.

"In the second-half we came out and played more aggressively," said Eagle Head Coach Charlton "C.Y." Young. "Games like tonight are trap games and we definitely fell into the trap tonight. We have to keep getting better in some areas but it's better to learn by winning. We are definitely taking some growing pains, but I feel every game and every time the calendar flips over we get better."

Down two points at the half, Georgia Southern took the 39-38 lead and clung to it for nearly eight minutes until a field goal by Black put the Barons ahead, 53-52, with 10 minutes left in the game. Georgia Southern would respond going on a 21-10 run for a 10-point lead, 73-63 at the 3:43 mark. The Eagles double-digit lead, which was at fifteen at one point, would fall to twelve points as time expired.

The return of Rory Spencer (Atlanta, Ga.) and Cameron Baskerville (Marietta, Ga.) to the lineup added depth and a strong presence under the basket helping Georgia Southern outscore Brewton-Parker 26-12 in the paint during the second half. The points inside the paint as well as the 73.1 percent shooting from the field in the second half helped the Eagles' to the win and a 3-0 record at home.         

Making a field goal and six-straight shots from the charity stripe, Georgia Southern would take an 8-2 lead over Brewton-Parker to start the game. The six-point lead would quickly diminish as an 11-4 run gave the Barons a one-point, 13-12, lead with 12:47 left in the first half. A tie and six lead changes would occur in a 10-minute span until Brewton-Parker built up a seven-point lead 34-27, at the 2:21 mark. A 7-2 run by the Eagles would cut the Barons lead to 36-34 going into the half. 

Three other Eagles joined Ferguson in double-figure scoring as Spencer, Tré Bussey (Lithia Springs, Ga.) and Ben Drayton III (St. Marys, Ga.) scored 16, 15 and 14 points, respectively. Ferguson joined teammates Baskerville and Marvin Baynham (Miami, Fla.) as the only Eagles to record a double-double this season.   

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Category: Men's Basketball

Published on Sunday, 12 December 2010 00:47