BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — The University of South Carolina Beaufort women's basketball team faced Georgia College & State University on Wednesday evening, using a dominant fourth quarter to secure a 70-61 home victory at The Cove on Novant Health Court.

With the win, the Sand Sharks improve to 13-7 overall and 10-3 in conference play, extending their winning streak to five games. The Bobcats fall to 7-14 on the season with a 3-10 Peach Belt Conference record.

USCB featured a balanced scoring attack with four players reaching double figures, led by Taniyah Bowman's 18 points on 70 percent shooting. Bowman also added a team-high five rebounds. Lydia Gattozzi contributed 15 points along with two rebounds, two assists, a block, and two steals, while Janiyah Heyward and Izellah Kendrick each chipped in 12 points.

The Sand Sharks struck first on the opening possession, as Heyward scored on an assist from Bowman for an early 2-0 lead. Georgia College answered with six straight points to take its first lead of the game. Bri Pelote ended a three-minute scoring drought for USCB with a basket off an offensive rebound. Both teams shot well in the opening quarter, with the Sand Sharks shooting 50 percent and the Bobcats shooting 45.5 percent, as Georgia College held a slim 14-12 advantage. The defenses combined to force 16 turnovers in the opening period.

Georgia College opened the second quarter strong, stretching its lead to seven and taking a 25-18 advantage with 6:31 remaining in the half. USCB responded with a 7-0 run to quickly tie the game, capped by Gattozzi's three-point play after driving to the basket and converting the free throw. Later in the quarter, Gattozzi gave the Sand Sharks their first lead since the opening basket at 29-28. That basket was part of an 8-0 run that pushed USCB ahead by five with two minutes remaining. The Bobcats scored in the closing seconds of the half to cut the deficit to one, sending the teams into halftime with the Sand Sharks leading 35-34.

After a scoreless opening minute of the third quarter, the Bobcats took a 36-35 lead. A low-scoring start to the period saw just nine combined points over the first four minutes, leaving the game tied at 39-39. The teams traded the lead three times over the next two minutes before Bowman put USCB ahead 44-42 with a three-point play. Georgia College answered with a three-point play of its own to close the quarter, taking a 45-44 lead into the final period.

Kendrick opened the fourth quarter with her 10th point of the game, giving the Sand Sharks a 46-45 lead. That basket sparked a 9-0 run over the first two minutes, as USCB held the Bobcats to 0-for-3 shooting and forced a turnover. The run grew to 17-4 over the first five minutes of the quarter, highlighted by USCB shooting 6-of-8 from the floor and five points from Samantha Bardonaro. The Sand Sharks took their first double-digit lead at 61-49.

USCB continued to control the final 10 minutes, growing the lead to as many as 13 and maintaining a double-digit advantage for most of the quarter. GCSU scored at the buzzer, but the Sand Sharks closed out the 70-61 victory.

USCB finished the game shooting 51.9 percent from the floor, forcing 21 turnovers and scoring 19 points off those turnovers.

The Sand Sharks return to action on February 7th at 1:30 p.m. at The Cove on Novant Health Court against Middle Georgia State University.