Georgia College edges Jaguar women's basketball team in overtime
By Katron Hugee | Sports writer
The Augusta University women’s basketball team lost in overtime 44-42 to the Georgia College Bobcats on Wednesday, Jan. 5, at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
The Jaguars dropped to 1-1 in the Peach Belt Conference and 8-3 overall while Georgia College improved to 2-1 and 5-7.
The game started out tight before Georgia College jumped out to an 8-2 lead with 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Then a midrange jumpshot by Autumn Phillips, followed by a steal and layup by Phillips, cut the Jaguars’ deficit to two points ending the first quarter 8-6.
AU would then tie up the game at 8-8 and go on to take the lead as a Zairya West jumper would put the Jaguars up 14-10 later in the second quarter. The Jaguars would go into the half with a 14-12 lead.
The game would remain highly contested as the third quarter would include several lead changes and ties. The game would be tied 20-20 late in the quarter before the Jaguars would end it with a 24-23 lead.
The Bobcats then grabbed an early lead in the fourth with Alexa Geary hitting a 3-pointer to put them up 30-26. This was Geary’s third trey as she hit back to back 3-pointers in the third quarter.
AU would then go on a 6-0 run, reclaiming the lead at 32-30. The game was tied once again at 33-33, and a free throw by AU’s Michaela Lane would give the host team a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter. However, a layup by Georgia College’s Ashiya Willis allowed the Bobcats to regain a one-point advantage with one minute left.
Georgia College missed a shot with 20 seconds left, but Cassidy Markle grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled with 14 seconds remaining. Markle then hit two clutch free throws, giving the Bobcats a three-point lead.
AU guard Kiera Howard then drove the ball to the baseline before kicking it back out to an open November Morton, who knocked down the 3-pointer and tied the game at 37-37 with seven seconds remaining. After a Bobcats’ miss and a Jaguars’ heave, the game went into overtime.
Georgia College jumped out to the early overtime lead of 41-37. The Bobcats held that four-point lead late in overtime before two free throws by Zairya West cut the lead to 42-40 with 29 seconds left.
After a Bobcats’ free throw, a Phillips floater made it 43-42 with 11 seconds in overtime. AU intentionally fouled, and Georgia College’s Harper Vick split the two free throws for a 44-42 GC lead with 10 seconds to go.
The Jaguars did get a good look at the rim, but Howard missed a reverse layup. Georgia College rebounded and ran out the rest of the clock for the two-point victory.
“Georgia College executed their game plan of packing the paint and forcing us to shoot perimeter shots,” said AU Coach Millette Green. “Our offense was stagnant often and we did not shoot it well from inside the arc, outside arc or the free throw line. We did not attempt a free throw in the first half. In the second half, we started to move the ball more and attack the paint with drives and post touches which lead to 16 free throw attempts in the second half. We must make free throws especially down the stretch.”
Green said the Jaguars needed to play better on defense to win a game like this one.
“We did not defend like we have defended in previous games,” Green said. “They outrebounded us by 12. We cannot control the ball going into the basket every night, but we can control our energy and effort on the defensive end and closing out the possession with a rebound.”
Phillips led Augusta in scoring with 11 points, and Howard added 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. Kennedi Manning led the Jags in rebounding with 15. GC’s Willis led all scorers with 20 points.
The Jaguars look to rebound in their next game in another PBC matchup, against Young Harris College on Saturday, Jan. 8, at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
Contact Katron Hugee at khugee@augusta.edu.
Augusta’s Autumn Phillips (5) goes up for a shot while Georgia College’s Ashiya Willis defends her. At the top of the page, Kiera Howard shoots a jump shot for the Jaguars. (photos by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
