Big Run and Sharp Defense Lifts Lady Eagles Over Appalachian State
1/11/2011 12:44:00 AM | Women's Basketball
STATEBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern Women's Basketball team went on a 15-1 run to take a seven-point lead over Appalachian State (10-4, 4-2 SoCon) in the first half and maintained the advantage for a 73-65 victory at Hanner Fieldhouse. Redshirt freshman MiMi DuBose (Jefferson, Ga.) scored a career-high 25 points to lead all scorers while Krista Tate (Atlanta, Ga.) had 16 points to go along with a game-high seven rebounds. Lady Eagle Briana Scott (Dumfries, Va.) also scored in double figures for a career-best 10 points.
The Lady Eagles picked up their fifth-straight win at Hanner Fieldhouse and second-straight win overall to improve to 7-10 and 4-4 in the Southern Conference. Appalachian State moves to 10-4 and 4-2 in the league.
Appalachian State's Sam Ramirez had 19 points for the Mountaineers while Anna Freeman had a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists in the loss.
"The kids are continuing to get confidence, especially when they are home," said Lady Eagles Head Coach Rusty Cram. "This is a huge win. We executed well, people stepped up at the right times and just made this thing happen. People asked me about the difference between our team last year and this year, and I tell them, 'MiMi DuBose.'"
DuBose, with her eighth double-figure game of the season, scored the first Lady Eagle points of the night with a trey, then had five points in the final four minutes for a first-half total of 12. DuBose opened the second half in the same fashion as the first, with a trey, and later scored 10 of her 25 points in three-and-a-half-minutes to help stretch Georgia Southern's lead to as many as seven.
The Mountaineers ran off nine straight points to take the early lead from the Lady Eagles, 9-3, but Georgia Southern would respond with a 15-1 run of its own to take an 18-9 advantage midway through the half. Four points off a field goal and two free throws by Anna Freeman and a three-pointer by Ramirez put Appalachian State down by six, 16-22. A three-point play by Kelsey Sharkey cut the deficit to three, 22-19.
Senior guard Jamie Navarro (Naples, Fla.) hit her first trey of the night off a DuBose pass and then DuBose hit two free throws to push the GSU lead back to eight, 27-19. Appalachian State, off a layup by Ashleigh Kelly and trey by Jessica Barrios, cut the Lady Eagle lead to three again, 27-24.
DuBose and Navarro dropped in threes and Tate added two more free throws to get the Lady Eagles to their 35-point total while baskets by Anna Freeman and Ramirez closed the scoring for the Mountaineers. With total field goals even at 10 each, the 35-28 Georgia Southern lead was due in part to two additional three-pointers and a perfect 10-10 start from the free throw line.
After the two teams traded baskets in the first two minutes, Ramirez keyed a 9-2 Appalachian State run with a trey and jumper on two straight possessions. Chakeitha Weldon scored a layup and converted the three-point play as the Mountaineers pulled within three, 44-41, five minutes into the second half.
Tate hit two jumpers and Candice Ivy (Roswell, Ga.) another to give the Lady Eagles an eight-point cushion, 51-43, at the 12-minute mark. Ramirez, Anna Freeman and Ashlen Dewart combined to make a charge at the lead again, pulling the Mountaineers within three, 51-48. Navarro hit her third three of the night, but ASU would put up six unanswered points to cut the lead to two, 56-54, with seven minutes left in the game.
Samantha Williams (Kingsport, Tenn.) hit a three from a Navarro pass to put Georgia Southern back up by five. Dewart's layup from Ramirez reduced the Lady Eagle lead to three again, but DuBose would score a layup and then connect on two-of-three free throws after a foul on her three-point attempt for a 63-56 GSU advantage with 4:43 remaining.
Anna Freeman stepped behind the line for a trey before DuBose nullified it with a three of her own at 3:27, 66-59, Georgia Southern. Dewart's basket with 3:02 left in the game was the last field goal for Appalachian State as it added only four points to its total off free throws. Georgia Southern added baskets from Scott and free throws from Tate and DuBose for the final, 73-65.
The Lady Eagles edged the league's best rebounding team on the boards, 32-29 and had only 12 fouls in the game to Appalachian State's 17. GSU finished the night 16-20 from the free throw line while ASU was 14-22.
Georgia Southern plays next at Hanner Fieldhouse on Friday, January 14th, when they play host to Western Carolina at 7 p.m. The Catamounts, who were scheduled to play Wofford Monday night, had their game rescheduled for a later date due to the inclement weather. Fans who bring any empty recyclable product including plastic, glass and/or aluminum cans receive $1 admission to the game.
Fans may follow Georgia Southern Women's Basketball by visiting GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/ladyeagles or check in at twitter.com/GSAthletics or facebook.com/GSAthletics for short updates.
