Box Score QUARTER SCORES:1: 14-13 (GCU)
2: 34-27 (SCS)
3: 58-45 (SCS)
FINAL SCORE: So. Conn. St. 79 | Georgian Court 59
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Led by a double-double from senior forward
Jackie Beathea (Annandale, Va.) and three double-digit performances from junior
Taylor McLaughlin (Colchester, Conn.), sophomore
Paige Decker (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) and senior
Danielle Powell (Middletown, N.Y.), the Southern Connecticut State University women's basketball team wrapped up the 2015 year with a 79-59 non-conference win over Georgian Court University on Wednesday afternoon at Moore Field House. Following today's win, the Owls improve to 9-4 on the season while the Lions fall to 2-10.
Beathea led the Owls' offensive charge with her seventh double-double of the season with 19 points and 17 rebounds as well as chipped in with a team-high three steals and two blocks over 30 minutes of play. Powell finished next for the Owls in points with 17 while shooting 8-of-17 from the floor and 1-of-1 from the line. She also recorded seven rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal for the Owls.
McLaughlin finished the afternoon with 15 points, an assist, a steal and nine rebounds, just one shy of her second double-double. Decker rounded out the quartet of double-digit scorers with 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Senior Nicole Gorssbard (Pearl River, N.Y.) led the Owls in the assist category as she tied her career-high nine assists.
In the opening eight minutes of the game, Southern Connecticut's offense took control as the Owls took their largest lead of the quarter,11-6, following a deep three from Grossbard at the 2:53 mark. Georgian Court battled back to tie the game at 11-11 before taking a 14-13 lead heading into the second quarter.
The second quarter was a battle between the two teams as Southern Connecticut and Georgian Court managed to record five lead changes and four ties during the 10 minutes of play. Down by one, Southern Connecticut came together as a team and regained the three-point lead, 17-14, over the visitors before both teams went through three ties. With four minutes remaining and the score tied at 27-27, the Owls closed out the half with a 7-0 run to take a 34-27 lead at the half.
Georgian Court broke its silence at the 9:30 mark, in the third, to bring the score to within four, 34-30, after a three from Jada Atchinson. Southern Connecticut took that as a sign and picked up its offense taking a 12-point lead, 46-34, heading into a Lions' timeout. With less six minutes remaining in the quarter, the Owls' lead remain in double-figures until a three from Alliyah Berger brought the lead to within nine, 54-45, with 2:12 left to go. However, the Owls did not let that scare them as the team closed out the quarter with a 13-point lead, 58-45, thanks to back-to-back baskets from Beathea and Decker.
The final quarter of the game was very similar to the third as Southern Connecticut pushed its lead to 25, 71-46, with 6:21 remaining. All Georgian Court could do was play catch-up in the final four minutes as the Owls picked up the twenty-point non-conference victory, 79-59.
The Owls are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 2 as the team travels to Syracuse, N.Y. to take on Le Moyne College in a Northeast-10 Conference clash. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. at Ted Grant Court.
