STATESBORO - Jacksonville University spoiled the grand opening of the new Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center for Georgia Southern women's basketball, fighting off a furious comeback by the Eagles to pick up a 56-51 win on Thursday evening.
The Dolphins moved to 6-3 on the season with the victory, while Georgia Southern falls to 5-3 on the year. An announced crowd of 924 watched the first collegiate basketball contest at The Hill.
A rough first half offensively for the home team in the new facility allowed JU to build a 40-21 lead at the break. However, the defense picked up for the Eagles in the third quarter as Georgia Southern held JU to just 1-of-13 shooting and only two points, cutting the lead to eight at the end of the third quarter, 42-34.
Georgia Southern took its first lead of the game on a Paris Gaines jumper with 4:11 left in the contest, making the score 45-43. Makayla Edwards responded on the next possession with a bucket for the Dolphins and the two teams traded leads until a three-point play by Eden Battle with 1:04 left for JU put the visitors up, 52-50.
The Eagles could not come up with a bucket in the final minute and JU went 4-of-4 from the line to clinch the victory.
Nicole Gwynn led the Eagles on the night with 11 points, while Indya Green chipped in 10. Battle led all scorers for the Dolphins with 22 points.
Eagle of the Game
Gwynn collected her first double-double as an Eagle with a season-high 11 rebounds to go with her 11 points. She added a pair of assists and was +15 on the night, leading all Georgia Southern players.
Stat of the Game
The Eagles shot just 25 percent in the first half (8-of-32) while shooting 41.3 percent (12-of-29) in the second half.
Quotables
Head coach Hana Haden on the comeback from down 19 points at the break
"We started to execute in the third quarter like we prepared to do for the last week. We saw great results from that to put us back into the fight, but I think when you have to come back from that large of a deficit, it's mentally and physically draining. We saw some pretty good looks in the paint at the end that we normally finish that we just couldn't get to go down."
On the first game in the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center
"It's awesome to be here in this new beautiful building. We would have liked to have had a better outcome but we appreciate everyone that came out and we'll just keep working."
Next Game
The Eagles will host its annual Kids Field Trip Day game on Friday, December 13, hosting Coastal Georgia at 11 a.m. at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.
