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Savannah State University Athletics

1
59
Fort Valley St. FVSU 2-5,0-1 SIAC
81
Winner Savannah St. SSU 4-1,1-0 SIAC
Fort Valley St. FVSU
2-5,0-1 SIAC
59
Final
81
Savannah St. SSU
4-1,1-0 SIAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Fort Valley St. FVSU 22 18 9 10 59
Savannah St. SSU 13 23 20 25 81

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | By Justin Phillips

Lady Tigers Rally Past Fort Valley State to Secure Fourth Straight Win


SAVANNAH, Ga. --The Savannah State women's basketball team secured win number four against the visiting Fort Valley State on Feb. 22, beating the Wildcats 81-59 in Tiger Arena.

Fresh off their 74-36 win against Albany State on Feb. 20, the Lady Tigers struggled in the initial stages of the game with slow offensive productivity. Fort Valley State secured an 11-point lead by the second quarter along with a 12 point unanswered scoring run. At the half, the Wildcats led Savannah State 40-36.

In the third period, the Lady Tigers came alive outscoring Fort Valley State 20-9 sparked by Le'Andrea Gills who was perfect in the quarter from beyond the arc, dropping 3-of-3 3-point offerings. Azhana Maxwell was nearly perfect from the field in the game-changing quarter, hitting 3-of-4 field goal attempts to help lead the offensive charge.

Using the momentum of a huge third quarter, Savannah State controlled the game down the stretch, keeping Fort Valley's major scoring weapons from doing any more damage.

Defensively, the Tigers were firm, grabbing 62 rebounds to Fort Valley's 44 overall. The Lady Tigers outscored Fort Valley 25-10 in the final quarter to come away with another strong victory. 

"We're definitely proud to come out and get another victory," Savannah State Head Women's Basketball Coach Cedric Baker said in a post-game press conference. "We had a tough game on the road in Fort Valley but were able to pull that game out by six."

Baker also commented on the fact that mental toughness and fortitude assisted the girls in coming out with a victory, especially after having such a slow start. "First half, we turned the ball over fifteen times, which is out of character for us," Baker said. "Our second half we settled in, shot the ball better, made better decisions and got high percentage opportunities."

Savannah State was led in the win by Maxwell and Gillis. Maxwell led the entire field with 27 points, tying her career high. Gillis came away with 18 points and ended 6-for-8 from behind the arc.

Junior Bria Gibbs added 16 points and led the team in rebounds with 17. Gibbs has scored double figures in every one of Savannah State's games this year, and recorded double-doubles in three of the five games. She is tied with Maxwell for team points leader, each averaging 14.6 points a game. Autumn Westmoreland had another strong outing as well, scoring 9 points and grabbing six rebounds.

Savannah State's wide array of scorers has led to at least three players in double scoring figures in all four games of the COVID shortened season.
Diamond Jones led Fort Valley with 17 points, followed by teammates Torri Myers (16) and Nikki Culbreath (11).

This is the third straight contest where the Lady Tigers have ended the game with a win of more than 20 points.  

"We're not the type of team to be down like that so easily," Maxwell said after the game. "So sometimes somebody has to take initiative to get the team rolling (offensively). So, I felt as if it was time for me to pick it up just to create that spark."

The Lady Tigers take on Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina on Wednesday, Feb. 24 before closing out the February season with a home game against Allen University on Feb. 28.
 
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