North Georgia Takes Down SAU 70-61 in Opener
CLEVELAND, MS – The North Georgia
women’s basketball team picked up their first win of the
season Friday evening, pulling out a 70-61 victory over Southern
Arkansas at the Margaret Wade Classic hosted by Delta State
University at the Walter Sillers Coliseum.
North Georgia found themselves leading by just five points with
2:20 remaining in the contest, but the Lady Saints sank four free
throws down the stretch and held the Lady Muleriders scoreless in
the final two minutes to come away with the nine point victory.
Junior guard Brooke Baker led the way for North Georgia, sinking a
pair of three-pointers and going 6-8 from the field for 17 points
while grabbing four rebounds. Senior Syretha Marble was two
rebounds shy of a double-double, recording 16 points and eight
rebounds in 38 minutes of action.
North Georgia took the lead for good with 53 seconds remaining in
the first half has Krysten Young knocked down a jumper to give the
Lady Saints a 34-33 advantage. Marble would step to the free throw
line with nine seconds left in the period and sink two foul shots
to give North Georgia a 36-33 lead at intermission.
The Lady Saints led from wire to wire in the second period as
North Georgia went on a 6-0 run to start the half. Head Coach
Buffie Burson’s squad used layups from Marble, Baker, and
Danielle Seeley to take a nine point lead at the 16:37 mark, a
margin that would hold true to the final buzzer.
North Georgia shot 52.8 percent from the field, while Southern
Arkansas was just 38.3 percent. The Lady Saints were 3-5 from
behind the arc in the second half, while holding SAU to 28.6%
shooting from long range in the contest.
North Georgia (1-0) returns to action Saturday evening in the
final game of the Margaret Wade Classic, taking on Delta State
University at 8:00 p.m.
