STATESBORO - Spudd Webb scored 20 points and Georgia Southern (3-1) used a dominant second half to pull away from Johnson C. Smith (0-1) for a 98-79 win on Friday night at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.

The Eagles outscored the Golden Bulls 56-38 after halftime, shooting 61 percent in the second half and finishing with 46 points in the paint. The Eagles' bench contributed 46 points, helping fuel a surge that erased a 41-21 halftime deficit.

Webb finished 7-of-10 from the field, added six assists and five steals. Dwayne Williams Jr. scored 17 points, hitting all six of his free-throw attempts. Nakavieon White added 14 points and three assists, while Khayri Dunn and Jefferson Koulibaly each scored 10.

The Eagles shot 35-of-68 overall (51%) and 11-of-29 from 3-point range while forcing 18 turnovers and turning them into 21 points.

Georgia Southern opened the second half with back-to-back buckets by Webb and never trailed again, stretching the margin to double digits midway through the period. Georgia Southern also blocked six shots and grabbed 38 rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• At the under eight media timeout, Georgia Southern trailed Johnson C. Smith, 26-16, entering the timeout on a 6-0 run. Jefferson Koulibaly and Nakavieon White both led scoring for the Eagles, scoring four points through the first 12 minutes of action.

• The Eagles used an 8-0 run late in the first half to cut the lead to one, before Johnson C. Smith was about to push it to four. Khayri Dunn converted an and-one three-point opportunity to tie the ballgame at 37 a side.

• Graduate guard Spudd Webb began the second half with a three-point play, converting the and-one opportunity and adding to the lead. 

• On the shoulders of back-to-back three-pointers by Tyren Moore, Georgia Southern extended its lead to four points. Both of Moore's three-pointers came in the second half.

• With just under 10 minutes to play, Khayri Dunn and Dwayne Williams Jr. connected on a lob forcing Johnson C. Smith to call a timeout. The lob extended a 10-0 run for the Eagles over 2:13 of action and stretched the lead to 11.

NOTES

• Shainen Carter and Tsvet Sotirov made their first career starts as Eagles on Friday, as Sotirov tallied 10 points, while Carter posted six.

• Spudd Webb took over the second half for the Eagles, collecting 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting and knocking down all four free throws he attempted. The graduate dished a team-high six assists, recorded a block, and collected two steals.

• Redshirt freshman Dwayne Williams Jr. posted a career day for the Eagles, tallying 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He added a perfect 4-for-4 line from the charity stripe, collected five rebounds, and one steal.

• Georgia Southern has now recorded three consecutive contests scoring 90-plus points, after posting a season-high 98 against Johnson C. Smith.

• Six different Eagles scored in double figures on Friday, as Spudd Webb led the way with 20. Dwayne Williams Jr. recorded 17, while Nakavieon White (14), Khayri Dunn (11), Jeff Koulibaly (10), and Tsvet Sotirov (10) all hit the mark.

• Georgia Southern scored 46 bench points in the win, while adding 46 in the pain and 18 points off opponent turnovers. 

• The Eagles shot a season-high 77.3 percent from the line against Johnson C. Smith (17-22).

UP NEXT

• Georgia Southern men's basketball hits the road for a midweek contest against Georgia Tech from the McCamish Pavillion. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACCNX.