>>>PURCHASE PHOTO PRINTS

By Sean Montgomery, Sports Information Student Assistant

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - The Georgia College women's basketball team (2-1) overcame a slow start to defeat the Fort Valley State University Wildcats (0-3) 58-53 in the season's home opener Tuesday at the Centennial Center. The Bobcats picked up their second win in a row.

The first quarter was all defense, as both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net for nearly four minutes into the contest. Through the first 10 minutes in an 11-6 game favoring Georgia College, the Bobcat defense held the Wildcats to just 7-for-30 shooting from the field, while shooting 8-for-24 themselves.

Six-foot sophomore Alyah McGriff (Suwanee) provided electric energy off of the bench, getting the offense rolling scoring five of the team's 11 first-quarter points. McGriff showed off a nice post-presence, leading the team with 12 points overall on 62.5 percent shooting and crashing the glass for six rebounds.

The second half featured much more offense as the teams battled through 14 ties and 16 lead changes before Georgia College pulled away to their largest lead of eight points late in the fourth quarter.

Starting forward Mckenna Rushton (Gainesville) tallied a double-double in the victory, scoring 10 points and snatching 11 rebounds, five of which came off of the offensive glass. The senior scored four of her 10 from the free throw line, including a key basket and a foul late in the game. Senior Kadesha Gibbs (Claremont, North Carolina) also neared a double-double, as she finished with nine points on 57 percent shooting and eight rebounds.

Junior guards LaRice Walker (Franklin) and Veronica Ryan (Clearwater, Florida) also added 10 points each, the highest outputs of the season for both. Walker went 2-for-7 from the field, but was perfect at the free throw line, sinking all six chances. Ryan was also key, hitting two big three-point baskets late in the second half. Walker joined Rushton with a double-double of her own at 10 points and 10 boards.

Winning their second game in a row, the Bobcats will look to continue the streak as they travel to Dahlonega this weekend for the University of North Georgia's Nighthawk Classic, where they will face Catawba College Friday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. and Trevecca Nazarene University Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2 p.m.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on social media for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.