Georgia College knocks Lady Nighthawks from PBC tourney

PEMBROKE, N.C. -- Fueled by a late second half run, Georgia College knocked off the University of North Georgia women's basketball team, 65-51, in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon at the English E. Jones Center on the UNC Pembroke campus.

GC's Enisha Donley contributed 11 of her 22 game-high in the second half and LaRice Walker scored 15 of her 20 points in the half as the Bobcats turned a one-point halftime advantage into a double-digit lead with just under 10 minutes remaining before coasting to the win down the stretch.

Georgia College (16-12) advanced to face Columbus State University, the No. 1 seed in the West Division, in the championship game Sunday, March 8.

Shanteona Keys, a first team All-PBC selection, chipped in 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Senior Stephanie Huffman paced North Georgia (21-9) with 20 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the floor and a 7-of-10 performance at the charity stripe. Huffman, a first team All-PBC selection, also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists.

It marked the seventh double-double for the senior from Woodstock, Ga. and extended her streak of consecutive double figure scoring games to 38.

Sophomore Kelsey Hutchins, a third team All-PBC selection, added 10 points and six rebounds despite being plagued by foul trouble.

GC overcame a 10-0 run by the Nighthawks to open the game, closing the half with a 14-4 run to carry a 24-23 lead into the break.

The Bobcats opened the second half with a 16-9 run before Donley knocked down a pair of free throws with 9:17 remaining in the game to give Georgia College a 44-34 lead, its first double-digit lead in the game.

The Nighthawks trimmed the deficit to 59-51 following a tip-in by Huffman with 49 seconds remaining in the game, but couldn't get any closer.

North Georgia drops to 21-9 and will await a potential at-large regional berth to the 2015 NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament on Sunday night. North Georgia was ranked No. 8 in the most recent Southeast region poll.