Lady Eagles Close 2009 with 60-43 Win Over Florida Atlantic
12/31/2009 1:23:00 AM | Women's Basketball
STATESBORO, GA – The Georgia Southern women's basketball team closed out 2009 with a 60-43 victory over Florida Atlantic Wednesday night (December 30). The Lady Eagles broke a three-game win streak the Owls held entering the game, improving to 7-5 on the season. FAU dropped to an even 6-6.
Coming back from the break, Georgia Southern used a 15-4 run over the first 6:10 minutes of the second stanza to open a double digit lead, 34-24, over the Owls. A senior effort pushed the Eagles' lead out to 41-26 with 9:05 to play in the game. Jamie Navarro (Naples, Fla.) nailed a three-pointer from the left side, giving the Lady Eagles a comfortable 52-33 lead with 4:39 on the clock. Georgia Southern continued to hold its lead to secure a 60-43 win in its last non-conference game of the season and finish the month of December with a 6-1 record.
After a trifling first half shooting 32 percent, GS rebounded in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the floor (15-25). Florida Atlantic was kept to 32 percent shooting for the game after a 29 percent opening frame.
Three Lady Eagles scored in double digits led by Carolyn Whitney (Duluth, Ga.) with 16 points. Navarro added her 12, nine coming in the second half, as J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) closed out the game with 10 points.
Despite pulling down 23 defensive rebounds, Georgia Southern was outrebounded by the Owls, 32-34. FAU recorded 17 offensive boards to GS's nine. The Owls converted no treys on 12 attempts; the Lady Eagles shot 42 percent (5-12) from three-point land led by Whitney's two.
Georgia Southern took 19 trips to the free throw line, converting 13 for a 68 percent clip. Scoring 22 points in the paint, Georgia Southern also picked up 14 points off the bench.
“Tonight, we challenged the kids to be more aggressive and not back down against their opponent because that is what people are going to throw at us from now on. And I think they did a good job of that tonight,” said head coach Rusty Cram. “We have to continue to get more physical and aggressive as the season goes along.
“I thought Briana Scott did a great job off the bench in the post. It was probably the best performance by her for the year.”
It was an offensive struggle for both teams in the first half. Georgia Southern managed to jump out to a 7-0 lead with buckets from Navarro, Ogburn and Whitney, but Florida Atlantic returned with four unanswered. A scoreless seven minutes from the field by GS allowed the Owls to inch their way back, bringing the score to 8-6 by the third media timeout. FAU knotted the score at 8-all before taking a three-point lead following back-to-back buckets from Carla Stubbs. Whitney ended a 10:12 minute field goal drought for the Lady Eagles, but FAU extended its advantage to four points before Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) made it a one point game, 15-16, with a trey at the 3:57 marker. Converting a one-and-one for two points, Whitney returned the lead to the Lady Eagles before a last second jumper from Stubbs dropped in to give the Owls a one-point halftime advantage, 19-20.
Georgia Southern opens the New Year traveling to Samford, January 2. Game time in Birmingham, Alabama is slated for 3:00 p.m. (EST).
Coming back from the break, Georgia Southern used a 15-4 run over the first 6:10 minutes of the second stanza to open a double digit lead, 34-24, over the Owls. A senior effort pushed the Eagles' lead out to 41-26 with 9:05 to play in the game. Jamie Navarro (Naples, Fla.) nailed a three-pointer from the left side, giving the Lady Eagles a comfortable 52-33 lead with 4:39 on the clock. Georgia Southern continued to hold its lead to secure a 60-43 win in its last non-conference game of the season and finish the month of December with a 6-1 record.
After a trifling first half shooting 32 percent, GS rebounded in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the floor (15-25). Florida Atlantic was kept to 32 percent shooting for the game after a 29 percent opening frame.
Three Lady Eagles scored in double digits led by Carolyn Whitney (Duluth, Ga.) with 16 points. Navarro added her 12, nine coming in the second half, as J'Lisia Ogburn (Dublin, Ga.) closed out the game with 10 points.
Despite pulling down 23 defensive rebounds, Georgia Southern was outrebounded by the Owls, 32-34. FAU recorded 17 offensive boards to GS's nine. The Owls converted no treys on 12 attempts; the Lady Eagles shot 42 percent (5-12) from three-point land led by Whitney's two.
Georgia Southern took 19 trips to the free throw line, converting 13 for a 68 percent clip. Scoring 22 points in the paint, Georgia Southern also picked up 14 points off the bench.
“Tonight, we challenged the kids to be more aggressive and not back down against their opponent because that is what people are going to throw at us from now on. And I think they did a good job of that tonight,” said head coach Rusty Cram. “We have to continue to get more physical and aggressive as the season goes along.
“I thought Briana Scott did a great job off the bench in the post. It was probably the best performance by her for the year.”
It was an offensive struggle for both teams in the first half. Georgia Southern managed to jump out to a 7-0 lead with buckets from Navarro, Ogburn and Whitney, but Florida Atlantic returned with four unanswered. A scoreless seven minutes from the field by GS allowed the Owls to inch their way back, bringing the score to 8-6 by the third media timeout. FAU knotted the score at 8-all before taking a three-point lead following back-to-back buckets from Carla Stubbs. Whitney ended a 10:12 minute field goal drought for the Lady Eagles, but FAU extended its advantage to four points before Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) made it a one point game, 15-16, with a trey at the 3:57 marker. Converting a one-and-one for two points, Whitney returned the lead to the Lady Eagles before a last second jumper from Stubbs dropped in to give the Owls a one-point halftime advantage, 19-20.
Georgia Southern opens the New Year traveling to Samford, January 2. Game time in Birmingham, Alabama is slated for 3:00 p.m. (EST).
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