Box Score | VIDEO: Postgame interview with Chris Vozab

STATESBORO, Ga. – Angel McGowan scored 18 points, hit the go-ahead basket and made two big free throws down the stretch to lead Georgia Southern to a 74-72 Southern Conference women's basketball victory over Appalachian State on Senior Day Saturday evening in Hanner Fieldhouse.

The Eagles (9-17, 7-8) led by nine points following a triple from the wing by Anna Claire Knight with 3:48 to go. The Mountaineers (11-15, 8-8) stormed back as Katie Mallow scored eight points, including consecutive 3-pointers that capped a 10-0 run and gave App a 68-67 lead with 1:45 remaining.

McGowan drove the lane for a layup on the Eagles' ensuing trip down the floor, and Danielle Spencer blocked a Bria Huffman shot on App's next possession. Knight hit 1-of-2 from the line for GSU, and McGowan rebounded a Maryah Sydnor miss and was fouled with 27 seconds left.

The freshman calmly swished both free throws for a four-point Eagle lead, and the Eagles got another defensive stop. Knight sank two more from the charity stripe to put GSU ahead by six with 17 seconds left.

The Mountaineers were not done as Sydnor made a layup and Knight was fouled again. The junior hit 1-of-2 from the line, and Huffman hit a running triple to trim the lead to two with four seconds left. After a Mountaineer timeout, App got a turnover from its full-court press and had the ball in the corner with three seconds to play.

The Mountaineers inbounded to Huffman and the sophomore's triple was long and came off the front of the rim. Eagle center Briana Jones secured the rebound as time expired.

Knight finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and McGowan added four steals. MiMi DuBose collected 11 points, three assists and three steals and Lacie Dowling scored 10. Spencer added seven points, six boards and two blocked shots.

"Angel has had to learn multiple positions this season because that's what we needed from her, and she's getting more comfortable, remembering things she already knows instead of having to think through every action," said Georgia Southern coach Chris Vozab. "It's been hard for her and to see her playing free and loose and aggressively on both sides of the ball has been huge."

KeKe Cooper led Appalachian State with 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Sydnor finished with 12 points and 10 boards. Mallow and Huffman each tallied 16 points and four assists.

It was Senior Day and Georgia Southern honored its seniors – Brittney Benzio, Jordi Cook, Dowling, DuBose and Spencer – prior to the game.

"Our seniors do so much for our program, and a lot of what they do is behind the scenes but so valuable in what we're trying to build," said Vozab. "I don't think we win a game like today with all the momentum swings, without the leadership they have given us and the foundation they have laid during my time here."

The Eagles trailed by six late in the first half following a Sydnor layup, but DuBose netted five points as GSU capped the frame with a 6-2 run and trailed 32-31 at the break. Georgia Southern took its first lead of the game on a McGowan layup 5:12 into the second stanza and never relinquished it. The Eagles used a 7-2 run to turn a four-point cushion into a 66-57 advantage on Knight's 3-pointer and held on from there.

It was also Pack the House in Pink, an event to raise funds and awareness to support the fight against breast cancer, and a group of breast cancer survivors were honored at halftime. Proceeds will go to the Statesboro Bulloch County Breast Cancer Foundation.

The Eagles play their home finale against Western Carolina Monday at 7 p.m. in Hanner Fieldhouse.

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