THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Lady Night Hawks played Coastal Georgia tight throughout the contest and forced a few key turnovers, but a late fourth period push from the Mariners sealed a 68-59 win for Coastal Georgia.
 
In a scrappy showdown at TU Gymnasium, Thomas (0-2, 0-2 TSC) started off slow, at the Lady Night Hawks did not register a score until 4:37 in the first period with a made free throw from Senior Guard Alisha Clayton.  Sophomore Guard Emiah Downie picked up the slack late in the first, drilling back-to-back 3-pointers to cut Coastal Georgia's (4-2, 2-1 TSC) lead with 42 seconds to spare.
 
Downie's second 3-Point basket ignited a 9-1 scoring that carried over into the second period and lasted nearly four minutes, which cut the Mariners lead to just two, 15-13.  CCGA extended its lead to six at the 4:10 mark, when Senior Guard Solrun Gisladottir drilled a long-range shot.  Sophomore Guard Gabrielle Jester's responding 3-Pointer with 3:09 in the half brought TU's deficit to three.  After a Quira Potter free throw put the score 26-22, the Lady Night Hawks scored the final four points in the last minute from Senior Guard Alexis Powell via 3-Pointer and a free throw basket.
 
With a 26-26 tie to start the second half, the Mariners wasted no time rebuilding its lead, jumping out to a 7-0 scoring run in the first 1:57 of the third period.  CCGA's lead was short-lived, as Thomas would tie the game for a second time with 5:49 left in the period.  Both teams would exchange baskets to finish out the third, with TU trailing 46-44.
 
Early in the fourth, the Mariners added a basket nine seconds in, but Alexis Powell would respond with six, unanswered points to give the Lady Night Hawks a 50-48 lead at the 7:15 mark.   CCGA would take the lead for good 17 seconds later with a Ca'Vashia Johnson drainer from outside the arch.  Thomas would manage to keep the game to within one possession with another Emiah Downie 3-Pointer, but a final 7-0 scoring run from the Mariners would put the game out of reach, jumping out to a double-digit lead for the first time since the first period.
 
Overall, Powell and Downie led all scorers with 18 and 17 points, respectively.  After a rough first period, shooting 13.3% from the field, the Hunter Green & White gradually improve its shots from the field to finish the day with a Field Goal Percentage offense of 38.1%.  The Lady Night Hawks once again finished the game shooting 6-for-20 long-range.
 
Defensively, TU was once again successful in shutting down a team that specializes in 3-Point Percentage, limiting the Mariners to 28.6% long-range.  The Lady Night Hawks now boast one of the best 3-Point Percentage Defenses in The Sun Conference at 29.8%.
 
Thomas will have Thanksgiving week off from play, and will return to the court Thursday, December 3rd when the team host Ave Maria.  Tipoff time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
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