Georgia Southern University
15-5,8-2Sun Belt
South Alabama
9-10,2-7Sun Belt
Eagles Race Past Jaguars, 69-46, With Stellar Second Half
1/24/2026 4:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Georgia Southern forces 27 turnovers by South Alabama in finishing road swing 3-1
MOBILE, Ala. - Georgia Southern women's basketball used another explosive second half to race past South Alabama, 69-46, on Saturday afternoon in Sun Belt action from the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala.
The Eagles improved to 15-5 overall and 8-2 in the Sun Belt with the victory, while South Alabama fell to 9-10 overall and 2-7 in the Sun Belt. It's the first time that the Eagles have been 15-5 or better over the first 20 games of the season in the NCAA era for Georgia Southern women's basketball.
Both teams had a solid first quarter offensively as South Alabama hit 7-of-12 shots from the floor, while the Eagles forced nine turnovers and turned them into 11 points. Georgia Southern held a 22-18 advantage after one. The second quarter was a struggle as each team put up only eight points, giving the Eagles a 30-26 lead at the break.
Like Thursday's game at Troy, the third quarter was the turning point for the Eagles as Georgia Southern shot 7-of-12 from the floor itself and held the Jaguars to just 2-of-14 from the field in outpointing South Alabama 20-8 and building a 50-34 lead after three. South Alabama would get no closer the rest of the way.
Destiny Garrett and McKenna Eddings each tallied 18 points on the night to lead the Eagles offensively, while Shanti Simmons added 11 points and six steals. Tamara Ortiz' 19 points led all scorers for South Alabama.
Player of the Game
Lia Anderson had her best game as an Eagle, scoring nine points while adding 12 rebounds - nine offensive. The 12 rebounds are the most for a Georgia Southern player in a game this season and eclipsed her season high of six, set twice previously.
Stat of the Game
Georgia Southern forced a season-high 27 turnovers in the game, turning those into 31 points.
Quotables
Head coach Hana Haden on the second half surge against the Jaguars
"They had a lot of turnovers at the half and we felt like we could force them into more, so we said 'Hey, we're not doing well against the zone, let's try to speed them up and turn them over' so we don't have to go against the zone in the halfcourt. That worked really well for us in the second half."
Next Up
The Eagles return home to take on Southern Miss on Wednesday, January 28, in a 6 p.m. contest at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.
