Women's Basketball | 12/21/2016 1:05:00 PM

2016-17 GS WBB Quick Facts (PDF)
2016-17 GS WBB Media Guide (PDF)
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STATESBORO – Before the team takes off for the holiday break, the Georgia Southern women's basketball team has one final non-conference game to take care of. The Eagles host the Bulldogs of South Carolina State Thursday, December 22. The Eagles and Bulldogs will tangle at 1:30 p.m. as part of a women's and men's doubleheader. The Eagle men will play the Bulldogs of Fisk at approximately 4 p.m.

GAME SNAPSHOT
S.C. State vs. Georgia Southern
Thursday, Dec. 22   |  1:30 p.m. EST   |   Hanner Fieldhouse (Statesboro, Ga.)
Live Stats   |   Live Audio (GS Sports Network)   |   Live Video (GS All-Access)

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS (Twitter - @SCStateAthletic)
Georgia Southern and South Carolina State have played six times prior to Thursday with the Eagles owning a 5-1 record over the Bulldogs, including a 3-0 mark at home inside Hanner Fieldhouse. S.C. State won the first meeting, 95-68, in Orangeburg, South Carolina, back in 1980. Since then, the Eagles have gone on a five-game winning streak. However, the two programs have not met on the hardwood since the 2002-03 season when GS won 47-42 on the road. The season before, Georgia Southern won 76-66 in Statesboro.

South Carolina State is coached by Doug Robertson, Jr., who is in his ninth season in Orangeburg. Robertson is 101-130 with the Bulldogs and 154-163 overall in 12 seasons as a collegiate head coach. His best season with the Bulldogs came during the 2012-13 season when the squad went 20-9. Before arriving in Orangeburg, Robertson was the head coach at Bowie State where he went 53-33 in three seasons.

Through nine games this season, the Bulldogs average 61.6 points per game while allowing 59.6. SCSU shoots 37.1 percent (201-542) from the field while opponents have hit on 33.9 percent (189-558) of their attempts from the field. S.C. State started the season off with a 64-50 loss at Georgia before winning three of their next four games, including games at Winthrop and at home against Morris College (S.C.) and NCAA Division II institution St. Andrews. Since the December 1 game against the Knights of St. Andrews, the Bulldogs have lost four game in a row, including road contests at Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina and Clemson as well as a home game against USC Upstate.

The Bulldogs feature five players who are at least 6-0. They are led in scoring by Bryeasha Blair's 18.4 points per game. The graduate transfer guard from UCF has connected on 44.1 percent (64-145) of her attempts from the field. She is second on the squad with 11 three-pointers and 16 assists and is first with 16 steals. Behind Blair, Brittany Drumgoole has averaged 11.2 points per contest and Jahmia Bradley has chipped in 9.1. Bradley leads the team with 8.0 rebounds per game and Drumgoole has converted a team-best 14 treys.

2016-17 SCSU Roster
2016-17 SCSU Schedule
2016-17 SCSU Statistics

LAST TIME OUT (L, 54-74 vs. UCF)
UCF outscored the Georgia Southern women's basketball team 15-4 in the third quarter to pull away for a 74-54 victory over the Eagles Saturday afternoon at Hanner Fieldhouse. Three UCF players scored in double figures, combining to score all but 18 of UCF's points. The Eagles (3-7) shot just 33.9 percent from the field, including 20 percent in the second half, and were out-rebounded 44-31 in the game while UCF (9-2) shot 48.4 percent from the field.

The Eagles were led by Angel McGowan and Patrice Butler, who both scored 11 points. Butler also grabbed six rebounds while McGowan hit two 3-pointers. Ten Georgia Southern players scored in the game and the Eagles hit nine three-pointers in the loss.

The Knights were led by Zykira Lewis, who had 21 points and hit five 3-pointers. Tolulope Mokore had 20 points and 11 rebounds while Aliyah Gregory dropped in 15 points and handed out six assists.

TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE
The Georgia Southern Department of Athletics invites fans to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the games on Saturday, December 17 (WBB vs. UCF) and Thursday, December 22 (WBB vs. South Carolina State, MBB vs. Fisk) to donate to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. GS Athletics is working closely with the university's Department of Public Safety on this toy drive. Earlier in December, the men's basketball team delivered a bunch of toys to Public Safety's office on campus. Aside from the three basketball games, the Georgia Southern Police Department is a drop off zone for Toys for Tots donations. Donations are accepted seven days a week, and drop boxes are straight through the front doors.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES HOOPS HOLIDAY GETAWAY
Start your New Year's Eve celebration December 31 with a basketball doubleheader in Hanner Fieldhouse and win one of four trips to ring in the New Year in Atlanta, Hilton Head, Jacksonville or Savannah with two free nights in a hotel, dinner reservations for up to four people and a $100 gift certificate for dinner.

It's your opportunity to Party All Day with Georgia Southern's Hoops Holiday Getaway! Fans can register online starting now until 5 p.m. on December 30 to win the trip of their choice. Attend the Eagles' basketball doubleheader against Georgia State December 31 (women's game at 10 a.m., men's game to follow), and the winners will be announced at halftime of the men's game. Hop in the car after the game, and head out of town for your Hoops Holiday Getaway!

You must be in attendance at the doubleheader to win; however, the prize is transferrable (see full terms and conditions). Hotel reservations are for the nights of December 31 and January 1 and dinner reservations are for 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Dates of the trip are not transferrable, and travel to the destinations is not included. Fans can register for all four trips but only win once and must be at least 18 years of age to claim the prize. 

The December 31 doubleheader is the Sun Belt Conference opener for both Eagle basketball teams. The women's game starts at 10 a.m., and the men's game tips off at 12:30 p.m.

For more information, email Gleen Hart at ghart@georgiasouthern.edu.

YEAR TWO FOR DROWN AND COMPANY
When Kip Drown took over the reins of the Georgia Southern women's basketball program over a year ago, he knew the rebuild would be a process that required him, his staff and the players to be patient. After the first year, the Eagles are looking to take the next step in building a successful program and they will have plenty of experience to draw from both on the coaching side as well as on the court.

Despite being chosen 10^th in the Preseason Sun Belt Conference Coaches' Poll, the team isn't looking to just roll over. The Eagles return plenty of talent and are a year older with more experience overall while also adding key pieces at every position. Last season, the Eagles had plenty of depth at certain positions, but were inexperienced at others. With at least three players at every position this year, and some players cross-trained at multiple positions, GS is prepared to take the next step.

MCGOWAN AND BUTLER EARN PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT HONORS
Georgia Southern women's basketball student-athletes Angel McGowan and Patrice Butler earned Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference honors as voted on by the league's coaches prior to the season. McGowan, a senior guard from Greenville, S.C., earned first team honors and Butler, a senior forward/center from Norcross, Ga., was named to the third team.

NEXT UP
Following the game against the Bulldogs, the Eagles will continue the current stretch of five home games with the first Sun Belt Conference game of the season. GS will play bitter rival Georgia State on Saturday, December 31 at home. The two squads will tip off at 10 a.m. with one point on the line in the Georgia Southern vs. Georgia State Rivalry Series.


The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy.  New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12 and ticket books can now be purchased from your our ticket office.  For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the @FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by visiting GSEagles.com/Tickets.