Dec. 19, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Freshman guard Tabitha David (Mableton, Ga.) led four Georgia State players in double figures after scoring a game-high 15 points in the Panthers 76-41 non-conference victory over North Florida on day two of the UCF Holiday Classic held Tuesday evening at UCF Arena.
Freshman forward Danyiell McKeller (Fayetteville, N.C.) collected her second double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for Georgia State (6-4), which won its third straight contest and sixth victory in its past seven contests. Sophomore guard Brittany Hollins (Columbia, S.C.) registered her second career double-double and first this season with 10 points and a game- and career-best 11 assists. Sophomore center Marcquitta Head (Conley, Ga.) tallied 11 points.
Jennifer Bowen led North Florida (2-8) with 11 points. The Lady Ospreys were held to 27 percent shooting for the game, including 12 percent from 3-point range, and were out rebounded 42-30 in the contest. Georgia State performed well on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, scoring at a 60 percent clip from the floor and nabbing 23 points off 22 North Florida turnovers. The Panthers finished with 25 assists and 13 steals.
Georgia State never trailed in the contest. Leading 21-14 with 12:23 left in the first period, the Panthers went on a 20-3 run over the next 10 minutes for a 24-point margin, 41-17, with almost two minutes remaining in the period. Georgia State led 41-19 at intermission.
The Panthers' extended their advantage to 27 points, 46-19, in the first three minutes of the second frame behind five points from David. North Florida responded with an 8-0 run to pull to within 46-27 at the 14:15 mark. However, that's as close as the Lady Ospreys would get as Georgia State extended its advantage to a game-high 35 at the conclusion of the contest.
Georgia State takes a break for the holidays and will return to action as host of the Georgia State Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 29-30. On Friday, the Panthers take on Mississippi Valley State at 2 p.m., while Birmingham-Southern faces off against UT-Martin at 4 p.m. The winners from Friday's game will play at 4 p.m. Saturday in the championship. Prior to the championship, Friday's losers will face each other at 2 p.m. Saturday.