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Freshman Kayla Cleaveland (#41) rises up to release the game-winning three-pointer with just seconds remaining on the clock. Her shot broke the tie and lifted the Eagles to a 70-67 victory.
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Senior Kishyah Anderson (#24) rises up for a jumper in the paint. Anderson was the offensive engine for the Eagles, pouring in a career-high 31 points on 14-of-22 shooting.
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The Georgia Southern bench erupts after a key play during the Eagles’ second-half battle. The energy from the sideline helped propel the team through a tense fourth quarter.
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Georgia Southern’s Liv Fuller (#20) scans the floor while being closely guarded by Southern Miss leading scorer Carly Keats (#21). The Eagles started fast, building a 16-point lead in the first half.
For a while, it looked like Georgia Southern would cruise to an easy victory on Wednesday night. In the end, they needed a freshman to save the day.
Kayla Cleaveland buried a corner three with just 6.5 seconds left on the clock, breaking a late tie and rescuing a 70-67 win over Southern Miss.
It was a dramatic finish to a game that saw the Eagles surrender an 18-point second-half lead.
“Big moments are made for big opportunities,” Head Coach Hana Haden said of her freshman forward. “For anyone to be able to knock down that shot, but especially a freshman, that takes a lot of courage.”
Anderson’s “Flow State”
Before the nail-biting finish, the night was defined by senior Kishyah Anderson. She was nearly unguardable, finishing with a career-high 31 points on 14-of-22 shooting. Her dominance helped the Eagles build a comfortable 41-25 lead by halftime.
“I just felt like I was in a flow state,” Anderson said. “Everything felt good coming off my hands… everything was just falling.”
The Scare
However, the comfortable lead evaporated in the second half. Southern Miss caught fire, specifically Carly Keats, who poured in 21 points to drag the visitors back into the game. Coach Haden noted that her team lost its defensive edge as the game wore on.
“You have to fight off human nature to relax,” Haden said. “They got really hot… and we just got a little undisciplined.”
The Winning Play
With the game tied at 67-67 and less than a minute to play, Haden drew up the final possession for Anderson. But when the play started, the Southern Miss defense collapsed on the senior star.
“They had to respect her,” Cleaveland explained. “My man kind of dug in [to help on Anderson], so… you let it go.”
Anderson recognized the double team and kicked the ball out to Cleaveland, who hadn’t scored all night. She calmly hit the shot to seal the win.
