MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Deshona Gaither scored 28 points and Georgia College & State University outscored Georgia Southwestern State University 10-5 in overtime to secure a 65-60 Peach Belt Conference victory Saturday (Feb. 21) afternoon at the Centennial Center on Homecoming.
The Bobcats improved to 10-16 overall and 6-12 in conference play, matching the Hurricanes' record, who fell to 10-15 overall and 6-12 in the Peach Belt. GCSU returns to action Wednesday (Feb. 25) evening to play Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina.
GCSU led 9-6 after a strong, defensive first quarter and carried a 21-19 advantage going into halftime. The Hurricanes used a strong third period to take a 41-38 lead into the fourth, setting up a back-and-forth final frame that featured six ties and four lead changes.
Trailing 55-53 in the final minute of regulation, the Bobcats got a putback from
Natalia Bolden with 28 seconds left to even the score at 55 and force overtime.
In the extra period, GCSU took control and didn't let up. Bolden converted a pair of layups to give Georgia College a 61-58 lead, and
Elizabeth Wynn added a late basket in the paint to stretch the lead to five. After a Kassidy Neal layup cut the deficit to three with 10 seconds left, Bolden sealed the win with two free throws.
Gaither finished 11-of-19 from the field and 6-of-10 at the stripe to lead all scorers. Bolden added 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Wynn added nine points and 11 boards.
About GCSU Athletics
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for five consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won six consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of 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 postseason 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 or subscribe to the
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