DAHLONEGA, Ga. – With a Peach Belt Conference Tournament berth secured, it was time for the Georgia Southwestern Lady Hurricanes to improve their positioning as they took on the North Georgia Lady Saints. The Lady Saints, with PBC leading scorer Jaymee Carnes, were also looking to improve the PBC Tournament picture. Saturday's decision went to the Lady Hurricanes by the score of 84-73.
GSW junior forward Adrian Randall had a career night and was the story of the game. Her 27 points and six blocks were career highs while her 16 rebounds was the second highest total of her career. Not only did she put up the type of numbers that won her PBC Player of the Week honors in December, but she would get the best of three-time PBC player of the week Jaymee Carnes. Carnes, who was averaged 26 points and eleven rebounds would finish the night with an impressive 18 points and 17 rebounds.
North Georgia jumped out early as they would lead by five points at the game's first media timeout and seven points by the second media timeout. The early deficit for GSW was fueled by the starting trio guards of Bivins, Branch and Walters scoring a combined two points in the game's first ten minutes. As a team Georgia Southwestern shot 23% from the field through the game's first ten minutes.
Coach Britsky's words and adjustments during the second media timeout appeared to sink in as the Blue & Gold would go on an 18-2 run to lead the game at 29-20 with 3:34 to play in the first half. GSW would slow down to close the half and lead 34-30 at the break.
The Lady Hurricanes would raise their shooting to 33.3% from the field by halftime but it was no thanks to their 1-11 (9.1%) shooting from beyond the arc in the half. While the rebounding battle was tied at 23 rebounds per team, GSW was able to force North Georgia into eleven first-half turnovers.
After only scoring two points in the first ten minutes, GSW guard trio (Branch, Bivins and Walters) would score ten points by halftime. Jessica Jones would lead all GSW players with eight points. Adrian Randall would tally seven points and six rebounds in the game's initial half.
The PBC's leading scorer, Jaymee Carnes, would score eleven points while grabbing nine rebounds to lead the Lady Saints in the first half. She was the half's only double-digit scorer, for either team, in the first half.
Adrian Randall would explode in the second half. She would score 18 of her 27 points and grab eleven of her 16 rebounds for the game in the second half. Randall would also be part of the GSW defense that held Carnes to just seven points in the second half. In fact, Carnes would finish about eight points below her season average. Randall was joined by Jessica Bivins as two Lady Hurricanes who scored ten points or more in the second half. Terra Branch was right behind the two with nine second-half points.
The GSW win puts their record at 17-7 (8-6 PBC), which continues their best season as a NCAA Division II and Peach Belt Conference member. They will look to continue the improvement in their home finale on Wednesday, February 22nd. Wednesday's 5:30 tip-off against Georgia College will be "Senior Night" in honor of GSW's five seniors; Terra Branch, Samantha Smith, Tania Walters, Jessica Jones and Jessica Bivins.