STATESBORO, Ga. – Caitlyn Ramirez sent the game into an extra period with a putback with 0.9 on the clock in regulation, and Ashley Beverly-Kelley scored 46 points as Troy posted a 99-93 overtime Sun Belt Conference victory over Georgia Southern Thursday evening in Hanner Fieldhouse.

Georgia Southern freshman Abby Hix hit a triple from the corner to give the Eagles an 82-80 lead with 9.2 seconds left in regulation. Troy's Aissata Maiga drove to the basket and hit Ronita Garett with a wraparound pass. Garrett's short jumper in the lane rolled off the front of the rim, and in the scrum for the rebound Eagle forward Anna Claire Knight tried to tip the ball to halfcourt with time running down. But the ball went right to Ramirez who scored a layup with 0.9 on the clock to send the game to overtime.

Alexis Sams tied the score 88-88 with a 3-pointer from the wing with 1:51 left in overtime, but Ronita Garrett got a tough turnaround jumper to go, was fouled and hit the free throw for a 91-88 lead. After the Eagles (4-20, 1-14) missed a shot, Troy got two offensive rebounds on its next trip down the floor to keep possession with 39 second left. 

The Eagles elected to foul, and Beverly-Kelley made a pair. Knight hit a jumper with 24 seconds left, but Beverly-Kelley went 6-for-6 from the line to ice the game.

"We keep taking steps forward, and we took another step forward today but unfortunately, instead of getting validated with a win and feeling that elation, we have to suffer the disappointment of a loss," said Georgia Southern coach Chris Vozab. "That's tough for a young team to deal with, but I'm proud of our fight, our togetherness and our resolve, and I know we'll rebound from this, get better and continue to move forward." 

Angel McGowan led five Eagles in double figures with 23 points to go along with a career-high seven assists, five rebounds and four steals. Alexis Sams scored a career-high 18 points, and Knight finished with 17 points and five rebounds. Patrice Butler contributed 12 points and nine rebounds, and Hix finished with 11 points.

Beverley-Kelley was 16-for-31 from the floor, 5-for-8 from 3-point range and 9-for-9 from the charity stripe for Troy (16-9, 11-5). Her 46 points were the most scored against the Eagles in program history, topping Jennifer Gardner of Western Carolina, who netted 45 March 5, 2005. It also tied the Hanner Fieldhouse scoring mark, set by Eagle great Phylette Blake, who netted 46 against Baptist Jan. 9, 1989.

Garrett tallied 25 points and 17 rebounds for the Trojans, while Kourtney Coleman and Ramirez each scored nine. Ramirez also finished with 11 rebounds.

The Eagles shot 57 percent in the first half and 46 percent for the game, while holding Troy to 38 percent, but the Trojans used 28 offensive boards to score 31 second-chance points. It was the most points the Eagles have scored against a Division I opponent since a 97-95 double-overtime loss to Western Carolina in the 2005 Southern Conference Tournament.

The Eagles return to action at home Saturday against South Alabama in a 4:30 p.m. tipoff in Hanner Fieldhouse. It's Senior Day, GATA Club Reunion Day, the GATA game for student-athletes and the game will be televised live on ESPN3. 

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