The College of Coastal Georgia women's basketball team dropped a 90-77 decision to Florida Memorial on Wednesday evening in Miami Gardens, Florida, falling to 17-9 overall and 7-7 in conference play.
Abby Shepard led the Mariners with an outstanding performance, pouring in a game-high 21 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including a perfect 6-for-8 from three-point range. Shepard was particularly effective in the third quarter, scoring 12 points to help keep Coastal Georgia within striking distance.
Paris Miller added 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting while also pulling down five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Miller was perfect from the free throw line, converting all six of her attempts, with eight of her points coming in the fourth quarter as the Mariners tried to mount a comeback.
Hadiya Kennerly contributed 12 points and was equally impressive from the charity stripe, going 6-for-6 on free throws. Niya Moon provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, including three three-pointers.
The Mariners faced an early deficit, trailing 20-16 after the first quarter. Coastal Georgia battled back in the second period, matching Florida Memorial's 21 points to enter halftime down 41-37.
The third quarter saw the Mariners continue to fight, with Shepard's hot shooting keeping them in the game. Coastal Georgia outscored Florida Memorial 23-21 in the period and trailed just 62-60 heading into the final quarter, setting up what looked to be a competitive finish.
However, Florida Memorial seized control in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Mariners 28-17 over the final 10 minutes. The hosts shot 52.6 percent from the field in the period and converted 7-of-10 free throws to pull away for the 13-point victory.
Kalea Rainey led Florida Memorial with 23 points and five assists, while Jasmine Worthy added 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, scoring 12 of those in the decisive fourth quarter. Dominique Garcia Blackwood chipped in 14 points, including four three-pointers.
The Mariners shot 47.2 percent from the field for the game and were excellent from both three-point range (45.5 percent) and the free throw line (85.0 percent). However, Florida Memorial dominated the boards with a 37-24 rebounding advantage and capitalized on second-chance opportunities with 19 second-chance points compared to just four for Coastal Georgia.
Taylor Blackshear added eight points and six rebounds off the bench, while Alli Stone contributed four points in the starting lineup. The Mariners' bench combined for 22 points in the effort.
Florida Memorial improved their conference record behind strong performances throughout their lineup, with their bench contributing 25 points. The hosts converted 19 points off turnovers and dominated the paint with 36 points compared to 12 for the Mariners.
Coastal Georgia will look to regroup as they continue conference play, seeking to return to their winning ways after the road setback.
