DAHLONEGA, Georgia – The University of South Carolina Beaufort women's basketball team closed out the regular season on the road at North Georgia. The Sand Sharks used a basket by Taniyah Bowman in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to seal an 85-83 victory over the Nighthawks, completing the season sweep.
USCB improves to 18-9 overall and 15-5 in conference play following the Sand Sharks' second straight win.
USC Beaufort was led in scoring by Lydia Gattozzi with 20 points, hitting nine field goals and becoming one of five players to reach double figures in the game. Taniyah Bowman finished with 14 points along with five assists and four rebounds. Janiyah Heyward added 14 points, while Izellah Kendrick recorded 11 points and eight rebounds. Bri Pelote rounded out the group with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Lydia Gattozzi opened the scoring for the Sand Sharks with a basket on the opening possession for an early 2-0 lead. North Georgia responded with the next five points to take its first lead of the game. In the opening five minutes, the Sand Sharks showcased a balanced scoring attack, with four different players accounting for the team's first 12 points as USCB built a 12-7 advantage. Courtney Campbell helped keep the Sand Sharks in front, answering a North Georgia three-pointer with one of her own. After the Nighthawks tied the game at 15-15, Sami Bardonaro pushed the lead back to seven at 24-17 with a three-pointer before Campbell hit her second three of the quarter. USCB led 27-21 after the first quarter.
Kendrick opened the second quarter with a basket off an assist from Madison Self, giving the Sand Sharks their largest lead to that point at eight. North Georgia cut the deficit to two at 31-29 with 6:52 remaining in the first half, but Bri Pelote sparked an 11-0 run to push the Sand Sharks' lead to double digits. During that three-minute stretch, USCB shot 4-for-5 from the field and forced five Nighthawks turnovers, with Pelote scoring six points. Gattozzi scored the final point of the half as the Sand Sharks carried the lead into the break with a 44-33 lead.
Early in the third quarter, Bardonaro and Janiyah Heyward combined for five straight points to extend the Sand Sharks' lead to 14 at 49-35, their largest of the game. After trailing by 14, the Nighthawks responded with a 22-7 run over a six-minute stretch to reclaim the lead at 57-56, their first since the opening minutes. North Georgia shot 9-for-13 during that run while holding the Sand Sharks to 2-for-13 shooting. Bowman hit a shot with four seconds remaining in the third quarter to tie the game at 58-58 heading into the final period.
The teams traded baskets early in the fourth quarter. Heyward opened the scoring with a basket for a 60-58 lead, followed by Kendrick, but a North Georgia three-pointer gave the Nighthawks a 63-62 advantage. The back-and-forth battle featured 12 lead changes and seven ties throughout the game. The Nighthawks' final lead came at 71-70 before Heyward put the Sand Sharks back in front, 72-71. After Kay'Mar Griffin scored to give the Sand Sharks a five point lead over North Georgia as USCB scored six straight points for a 76-71 advantage.
The Sand Sharks later held a six-point lead, but two late three-pointers from North Georgia tied the game at 83-83 with 25 seconds remaining. With one final possession, Taniyah Bowman knocked down the game-winning jump shot with three seconds left to secure the 85-83 victory. After a final defensive stand, USCB held on for the win.
With the victory, the Sand Sharks clinch the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Peach Belt Conference Tournament. USCB will host a first-round playoff game on Wednesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m.
