STATESBORO - Junior Terren Ward became just the third player in Georgia Southern women's basketball history to score 40 points in a contest in leading the Eagles to a 99-86 Sun Belt Conference victory over visiting Arkansas State on New Year's Eve, Saturday in Hanner Fieldhouse.

The Eagles moved to 9-2 overall and 1-1 in the Sun Belt with the victory, while Arkansas State fell to 5-8 overall and 0-2 in the league.

Georgia Southern opened up the contest with back-to-back three-pointers from Andreana Wrister and Ward, taking a 6-0 lead after a minute and a half and never trailed against the undermanned Red Wolves. The Eagles shot 50 percent from the field in the first quarter in building a 22-15 lead and led by double digits, 42-31, at the break.

Ward, meanwhile, tied her career high with 32 points on a jumper with 5:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. She set a new career high with her layup with 3:41 left, then successfully converted a three-point play in the final second for the 40-point performance. It's the most points scored by a Sun Belt women's basketball player in a game this season and only the eighth 40+ point performance in NCAA Division I basketball so far this season.

The Eagles placed four other players in double figures in the contest. Taya Gibson came off the bench to record 15 points to go with eight rebounds, while Le'Andrea Gillis notched 12 points, Wrister finished with 11 and Ja'nya Love-Hill added 10. The Red Wolves also had five players in double figures, led by Lauryn Pendleton's 24 points and Jade Upshaw's 20 points.

Eagle of the Game
Ward hit 14-of-21 shots from the floor, including a career-high six threes, and added six of seven shots from the foul line en route to her 40 points. She joins GS Hall of Famer Phylette Blake (three times) and Junnie Hughley (once) as Eagles to record 40+ points in a game, and the last 40-point performance for an Eagle was Blake's 42 points vs. Florida International on January 21, 1989. Ward's 14 field goals made are tied for the fourth-most in a single game in school history.

Stats of the Game
Two days after the Eagles shot a season-low from the field, Georgia Southern hit 35-of-67 shots for 52.2 percent, the fifth time in 11 games that the Eagles have shot 50 percent or better in a single game. The 99 points scored are also the most scored by Georgia Southern against a Sun Belt opponent, eclipsing the 96 scored in a 96-91 win over Troy on February 5, 2021.

Quotables
Head Coach Anita Howard on the big performance following Thursday night's loss to Texas State
"I think Texas State woke something up in us. They were a solid team that we played and lost to just 48 hours ago. But now they understand that every night in the Sun Belt, you've got to bring your best game. I was pleased to say we came out and hit first, then stayed consistent all the way through. Tonight was a team win, we had 21 assists and only 13 turnovers."

On the performance by Terren Ward
"She puts in the work behind the scenes. TW just has 'it.' And it's good to see her put us on her back and carry us as we bounced back from the loss, because we needed it."

Next Up
Georgia Southern heads to Conway, S.C., for its first Sun Belt road contest of the year on Thursday, January 5, for a 6 p.m. matchup against Coastal Carolina.