AUGUSTA, GEORGIA — The University of South Carolina Beaufort closed out its season series with Augusta on Wednesday evening, earning an 82–70 overtime victory. Janiyah Heyward sent the game to overtime with a basket in the closing seconds to tie the score at 65, before Taniyah Bowman took over in the extra period, scoring 13 points to secure the double-digit win.
The Sand Sharks improve to 12–7 overall and 9–3 in Peach Belt Conference play, moving into second place in the conference standings. Augusta falls to 8–4 in conference action.
Lydia Gattozzi led USCB with 18 points on eight made field goals, while also adding four rebounds and four assists. The Sand Sharks featured a balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures, including Bowman with 17 points, and Bri Pelote and Heyward each contributing 16 points. Heyward recorded her sixth double-double of the season, and second straight, pulling down 10 rebounds.
Augusta struck first, scoring the game's opening four points before Heyward put the Sand Sharks on the board with a jump shot one minute in. The Jaguars built an eight-point lead midway through the opening quarter, but a Heyward three-pointer ended the run. Augusta scored at the buzzer to close the quarter, sending USCB into the second trailing 23–13.
In the second quarter, the Sand Sharks quickly chipped away at the deficit. Gattozzi knocked down a three-pointer, followed by a basket from Ellen Meyer for her first points of the game, cutting the lead to five. Sami Bardonaro continued the run with a three-pointer assisted by Heyward as USCB opened the quarter on a 10–2 run. Each time the Sand Sharks pulled within one possession, Augusta responded. Meyer drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to end the half, sending USCB into the break trailing 36–32. Heyward led the team with eight first-half points.
USCB's defense fueled the comeback early in the third quarter, as Pelote opened the scoring and Gattozzi tied the game for the first time since the opening tip. Augusta responded with a three-pointer at the 6:14 mark to regain a five-point lead. After the Jaguars extended the margin to nine, a late-quarter run helped the Sand Sharks cut the deficit to five. Gattozzi scored her 13th point before a Pelote layup made it 50–45 heading into the fourth.
After a scoreless opening minute of the final quarter, Gattozzi hit a jump shot off a Heyward assist to spark the comeback. Heyward then gave USCB its first lead at 51–50 after converting her own steal for a basket, her third steal of the game. Gattozzi later connected from beyond the arc to tie the game at 54–54 with just over seven minutes remaining. Pelote and Bardonaro combined for five straight points to put USCB ahead 61–58, but Augusta answered with a 7–0 run to take a 65–61 lead with 30 seconds left. Bowman scored to cut the deficit to two, and the Sand Sharks forced a turnover with 15 seconds remaining, setting up Heyward's game-tying basket to force overtime.
USCB wasted no time in the extra period, opening overtime on a 10–0 run as Bowman scored eight of the first 10 points. The Sand Sharks forced three turnovers and held Augusta to 0-for-3 shooting during the stretch. USCB outscored the Jaguars 17–5 in overtime, holding them to 1-for-8 shooting and forcing three turnovers in the five-minute period to seal the 82–70 victory.
The Sand Sharks forced 19 turnovers and recorded 10 steals in the win, while shooting 50 percent from the field (31-for-62).
USC Beaufort returns home Saturday afternoon to face Lander University at The Cove on Novant Health Court. Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
Stay tuned to uscbathletics.com and follow Sand Shark Athletics on social media for the latest news, updates, and information.
