Georgia Southern University
7-5,0-0Sun Belt
Grand Canyon
11-2,0-0WAC
Turnovers Doom Eagles In 79-52 Loss At Grand Canyon
12/21/2024 4:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Eagles now turn their attention to Sun Belt play, hosting Louisiana on Dec. 29
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Turnovers doomed the Georgia Southern women's basketball team on Saturday in a 79-52loss at Grand Canyon, wrapping up the week's action in the GCU Christmas Classic in Phoenix.
The Eagles fell to 7-5 on the season with the loss, while Grand Canyon won its ninth game in a row to move to 11-2 on the year. It was the first meeting between the two teams.
Georgia Southern committed seven turnovers in the first quarter as GCU built a 16-11 lead. Paris Gaines had eight of the Eagles' 11 points in the opening frame.
A 14-0 run by the 'Lopes in the middle of the second quarter built the home team's advantage to double digits as GCU took a 38-18 lead at the break.
Grand Canyon went on a 12-0 run in the first two minutes of the third quarter to put the game out of reach. The Eagles were able to close strong, ending the game on a 13-0 run over the final three minutes and 16 seconds.
Paris Gaines led the Eagles offensively on the day with 14 points while Leah Johnson and Nicole Gwynn each added 11 points. GCU had five players in double figures, led by Nneka Obiazor's 20 points.
Player of the Game
Gaines hit 7-of-9 shots from the floor en route to her third double-digit scoring effort of the season. She added eight rebounds, a block, an assist and a steal in the contest as well.
Stat of the Game
Georgia Southern committed a season-high 27 turnovers. GCU turned those 27 turnovers into 41 points on the day.
Quotables
Head coach Hana Haden on the turnovers against an aggressive GCU squad
"Those 27 turnovers is a lot to overcome. That is GCU's hallmark. They create turnovers and they create havoc and we knew that going in. In a perfect world you probably play them first so you have prep time but having them in the third game in four days - and obviously having an overtime loss takes a lot out of you and an 18-point comeback takes a lot out of you. But I was proud of our fight at the end."
Next Up
Georgia Southern opens up Sun Belt Conference action on Sunday, December 29, hosting Louisiana at 1 p.m. in the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center in Statesboro.
