STATESBORO - Troy overcame a late fourth-quarter charge by Georgia Southern, outscoring the Eagles 9-2 down the stretch to claim a 78-72 Sun Belt Conference women's basketball victory over host Georgia Southern on Thursday evening at Hanner Fieldhouse.

The Trojans improved to 15-7 overall and 6-2 in the league with the win, while Georgia Southern (11-7, 2-4 SBC) suffered its fourth loss out of its last five games. 

The Eagles trailed by six at the break, 44-38, against the preseason Sun Belt Conference favorites and cut the deficit to one possession several times in the third quarter against the Trojans. But Troy stayed ahead thanks to forcing 27 turnovers by the Eagles.

In the fourth quarter, the Eagles came all the way back to tie it, 67-67, on a Taya Gibson layup with three minutes remaining. A bucket by the Trojans' Amber Leggett made the score 69-67 with 2:52 left, but the Eagles' Mya Burns canned a three-pointer with 1:58 left to give Georgia Southern its first lead, 70-69, since the first quarter.

Troy responded with a layup by Tiyah Johnson with 1:37 left to put the Trojans back in front, and Troy ended the game on the 9-2 run over that 1:37 stretch to seal the victory.

The Eagles had three players register double-doubles on the evening, led by Maya Banks (15 points, 13 rebounds). Terren Ward (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Taya Gibson (13 points, 10 rebounds) also notched double-doubles. Troy was led by Jasmine Robinson's 16 points and Felmas Koranga's double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Eagle of the Game
Banks set new career highs with her first collegiate double-double, hitting 6-of-12 shots from the floor en route to her 15 points. She recorded eight offensive rebounds as a part of her 13 total rebounds. 

Stat of the Game
Georgia Southern outrebounded the second-leading rebounding squad in NCAA Division I, Troy, by a 59-47 margin. The 59 rebounds for the Eagles are the most against a conference opponent in nearly 18 years, since Georgia Southern had 61 rebounds at Appalachian State in SoCon play on February 25, 2004.

Quotables • HEAR FULL POST-GAME COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH ANITA HOWARD
Head Coach Anita Howard on the effort against the Trojans tonight
"Troy is the defending champion. The first quarter, we came out unsure of ourselves. But I thought we became much more poised."

On the rebounding and free throw battle against the Trojans
"It says that we're tough enough to compete. They're a tough opponent for anyone. I think we did a good job on the glass tonight. But they shot 35 free throws. You can't give up 35 free throws to a team like Troy. We have to play aggressive defense without fouling."

Next Up
The Eagles host South Alabama for a 2 p.m. Sun Belt Conference contest at Hanner on Saturday. Georgia Southern will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day with a post-game clinic for girls ages 5-14.