MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College & State University Women's Basketball team (9-7, 1-5 PBC) took the fight to No. 16 University of North Georgia (13-2, 5-1 PBC), leading for the majority of the contest, but falling 60-48 Saturday in the Centennial Center.

The Bobcats tightened the defensive clamps in the first quarter, holding the Nighthawks to just four points and picking up a 10-4 lead at the first break. The GCSU advantage reached its peak of 17-4 with 8:20 left in the second quarter.

UNG then went on a run, nabbing their first lead at 24-23 with 8:26 left in the third. The end of the game was a mirror image of the start, as it was UNG keeping the Bobcats from scoring over the final two minutes.

Junior guard Myra Strickland (Duluth) led the Bobcats with 12 points off the bench, going 4-for-8 from long range for all of her scoring. She also had three assists and three steals. Sophomore guard Ashyia Willis (Gainesville) added 10 points to the cause, while junior Dashaun Jackson (Miramar, Florida) filled a boxscore with six points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block.

The Bobcats were out-shot 37 percent (18-49) to 29 percent (20-70) from the floor and were edged slightly in the rebounding battle 42-3.9. GCSU did a great job on the offensive glass with 17 offensive boards, led by Jackson with four.

The win puts UNG up 51-29 in the all-time series with GCSU, having won 12 in a row. The Bobcats have taken on three nationally-ranked opponents this season.

The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m., hosting Young Harris College.

Owning the top Academic Success Rate among public schools in Division II, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won three-straight Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of both the PBC Commissioner's Cup and the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in post-season competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports.