AIKEN, S.C. — The Georgia Southwestern State University women's basketball team saw its nine-game winning streak against the University of South Carolina Aiken come to an end Wednesday evening, falling 67-60 in Peach Belt Conference action at the Convocation Center.
The loss is the fourth straight overall for the Lady Hurricanes, who stayed within striking distance throughout but were unable to overcome a decisive fourth-quarter push by the Pacers.
Tight Start Features Early Back-and-Forth
Georgia Southwestern opened the game with confidence, scoring the first six points and holding the lead for much of the opening quarter.
Ray'ven Robinson paced the early offense, scoring six points in the first 10 minutes as GSW built a 6-0 advantage.
USCA answered with a run of its own late in the quarter, closing the period on a 12-8 spurt to take an 18-14 lead after one. The Pacers used trips to the free-throw line to generate momentum while the Hurricanes worked primarily inside.
GSW Regains Edge in Third Quarter
Trailing 31-27 at halftime, Georgia Southwestern responded coming out of the break using energy on the defensive end and trips to the free-throw line to reclaim the lead. Robinson scored six points in the quarter and dished out a pair of assists, and
Shane' Jackson added timely baskets inside as GSW briefly pushed ahead 45-44 with under two minutes remaining in the third.
The Hurricanes outscored USCA 18-13 in the period and carried momentum into the final 10 minutes.
Pacers Pull Away Late
USCA seized control early in the fourth, opening the quarter with a run fueled by transition buckets and offensive rebounds. The Pacers knocked down timely jumpers and converted at the free-throw line to stretch the margin to two possessions.
GSW battled down the stretch and cut the deficit to two on multiple occasions, but USCA closed the game by making 10 free throws in the final quarter, sealing the win.
Robinson Leads the Way
Robinson led the Lady Hurricanes with 17 points, going a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line while adding six rebounds, three assists and a block.
Jackson finished with 14 points and five rebounds off the bench, while
Kassidy Neal pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to go along with seven points.
Numbers Tell the Story
- GSW shot a season-low 11.8 percent from three-point range (2-of-17)
- The Lady Hurricanes matched their second-lowest assist total of the season with 10
- However, GSW made 18 free throws, its second-most in a game this season
Next Up
Georgia Southwestern, at 8-9 overall and 4-6 in Peach Belt play, wraps up a brief two-game road trip on Saturday against Middle Georgia State University in Cochran, Ga.
