Lady Eagles Take Final Shot but Fall to Charleston by a Single Point
1/20/2011 2:26:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Georgia Southern (8-11, 5-5) took two shots in the final four seconds but fell to the College of Charleston (5-13, 2-7) 40-39. The Lady Eagles scored less than 40 points for just the second time this season and were led by Meredyth Frye's (Fredericksburg, Va.)12 points. Frye scored 10 of those points in the second half. Krista Tate (Atlanta, Ga.) added seven points and set a career high with 12 rebounds.
"It was a frustrating night," said head coach Rusty Cram. "We could not get to the rim, and when we did we could not finish in the paint. We were settling for the easy shot and what Charleston gave us instead of working for our shot."
The Lady Eagles tried to find a hot hand and used 13 different players. Jordi Cook (Tunnell Hill, Ga.) played in her first game since the January 8th contest with Davidson. Jamie Navarro (Naples, Fla.) had a solid night with six points, four assists and three rebounds.
Frye led GSU out of the break and drained six quick points to pull the team within three points, 21-19, with 16:39 to play. The Lady Eagles battled for most of the second half, but Charleston kept the lead at four points, 38-34, with 1:35 remaining. Navarro cut the lead to one point with a three on the following possession to pull Georgia Southern within one point.
Georgia Southern led for most of the first half, but the College of Charleston took an 18-13 lead at halftime with a 10-3 run over the final seven minutes of the period. The Lady Eagles had six different players score in the first, but none recorded more than one field goal. GSU used 12 different Lady Eagles in the first half. Navarro and MiMi DuBose (Jefferson, Ga.) led GSU with three points each.
The Lady Eagles forced a turnover on Charleston's next possession but could not get a second Navarro three to fall. Janae Smith drained a pair of free throws to extend the Cougars' lead to three points, 40-37, with 24 seconds left in the period. Frye missed a shot in the paint on the inbound pass following a timeout but was fouled. She made two free throws to cut the lead back to one point. The Lady Eagles got two shots off in the final four second but could not get one to fall.
The two threes from Navarro and DuBose came back-to-back and gave Georgia Southern its largest lead of the first half, 8-4, with 13:13 to play. The Lady Eagles went scoreless over the next four minutes of play before Frye drained a layup with 9:31 remaining in the first half.
Georgia Southern continues its two-game road trip Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest in Greenville, S.C. against Furman. The Lady Eagles return home Monday to face the Wofford Terriers at 7 p.m.
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