Box Score
Box score
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - Despite forcing 21 turnovers, Anderson
University women's basketball was unable to match the Georgia
College attack as the Trojans closed out their 2013 slate with a
68-61 setback in non-conference action Monday evening at the
Centennial Center.
AU ends December with a 1-2 record for its three regular season
matchups of the month, as it begins the heart of South Atlantic
Conference after the first of the year. Overall, the Trojans drop
to 7-4 on the season as Georgia College remains unbeaten on the
year with a perfect 7-0 record.
The Bobcats, who were receiving votes in the latest USA TODAY
Coaches' Poll, finished the contest 23-for-51 (45.1 percent) from
the field, including a 14-for-26 (53.8 percent) effort in the
opening period. Leading the way for the Bobcats was senior Thresia
Elskamp as she recorded her second double-double in as many games,
notching 11 points and 13 rebounds. Two other Bobcats found
themselves in double figures as the junior duo of Shanteona Keys
and Enisha Donley finished with matching totals of 15 points.
"This was a tough loss against a very well-coached Georgia
College team," head coach Jimmy Garrity said. "They did all the
little things that they needed to do to win the game. I thought our
effort was there, but we just didn't do enough to get over the
hump."
For Anderson, redshirt junior Emily Willoughby finished 6-for-14
(42.9 percent) from the field and posted a game-high 17 points,
setting a new season-high. Willoughby connected on five 3-pointers
in 25 minutes as she came off the bench after the first media
timeout of the game.
Freshman Nakia Young, who returned to action after missing two
contests for an injury, was perfect from the floor, going 3-for-3
from the field and dropping in two treys for 12 points. The
freshman shattered her original season-high of seven points which
she set in the 85-81 overtime win over Lander. Sophomore forward
Katie Davis rounded out AU's double digit scoring with 10 points to
go along with four rebounds.
The Bobcats started the contest quickly, jumping out to an 11-4
run capped off by back-to-back fast break lay-ups by Elskamp and
Brandi McKinney, the team's leading scorer. Despite the early
deficit, Anderson mounted a quick comeback, eventually taking a
lead at the 19-18 mark when Young put in a pair of free throws.
As the teams continued to trade buckets for the remainder of the
period, GC would take the lead into halftime at 34-32. Willoughby
was the lone player to have double figures in the first 20
minutes.
Facing the slim deficit, GC would start to pull away in the
second half headlined by a 14-4 run by the Bobcats to take a 59-45
lead with eight minutes left. Headlining the run was a pair of
Bobcat 3-pointers by Elskamp and Kayla Upchurch, who dropped in her
only points of the evening.
McKinney, who failed to reach her season average of just above
16 points, posted a game-high five steals, while teammate Elskamp
recorded four steals to go along with her team-high five
assists.
The Trojans would cut the GC lead to seven in the final two
minutes, but was unable to get any closer, eventually falling
68-61.
Defensively, AU forced 21 turnovers, marking the fifth time this
season the Trojan defense has forced over 20 turnovers. Davis led
the defensive attack with three steals and four blocks.
"I give Georgia College credit for their toughness and not
letting us do what we wanted to do," Garrity said. "I was happy to
see Nikki (Nakia) Young have such a good game after being out last
week and we will use this break to reenergize ourselves and come
back focused to make a run in conference play."
Anderson now faces a long layoff before beginning its stretch of
South Atlantic Conference games with Catawba on Jan. 4. Tip-off
from Salisbury is set for 2 p.m