Coastal Georgia withstood a furious fourth-quarter comeback by Webber International to secure a 73-67 road victory Wednesday evening, improving to 18-9 overall and 8-7 in conference play.
The Mariners built a commanding 13-point lead in the second quarter and appeared to be in control throughout much of the contest before the Warriors mounted a late charge that made the final minutes uncomfortable. Coastal Georgia's ability to make critical plays down the stretch ultimately proved to be the difference in a hard-fought conference matchup.
Abby Shepard led the way for the Mariners with a game-high 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including a scorching 5-of-11 performance from beyond the arc. Shepard was at her best in the fourth quarter, draining three crucial three-pointers that helped Coastal Georgia maintain separation when Webber threatened. Her final two free throws with 13 seconds remaining sealed the victory and gave the Mariners breathing room at 73-64.
Paris Miller added 15 points, four assists, and four turnovers in 32 minutes of action. Miller was aggressive attacking the basket and made several key plays in transition, though she struggled from the free-throw line, converting just 1-of-6 attempts. Hadiya Kennerly chipped in 12 points on efficient 4-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point range, while adding four assists and displaying strong all-around play.
Alli Stone contributed eight points and six rebounds in 21 minutes before foul trouble limited her impact in the second half. The Mariners' bench provided crucial support, with Niya Moon scoring eight points on a pair of three-pointers, Taylor Blackshear adding five points and a team-high 12 rebounds, and Amanda Roach contributing five points and six boards.
Coastal Georgia established control early, jumping out to a 17-9 lead after the first quarter behind strong three-point shooting. The Mariners connected on 3-of-12 attempts from deep in the opening period while limiting Webber to just 0-of-2 from beyond the arc. The lead grew to 13 points early in the second quarter at 29-16 as Shepard caught fire from distance.
The Warriors began chipping away in the third quarter, outscoring Coastal Georgia 20-18 to cut the deficit to seven points heading into the final period. Webber's aggressive inside game and commitment to getting to the free-throw line kept them within striking distance despite shooting just 1-of-8 from three-point range through three quarters.
The fourth quarter turned into a nail-biter as Webber continued its rally. The Warriors tied the game at 55-55 with 7:33 remaining on a jumper by Taleah Jones, erasing the Mariners' entire lead and energizing the home crowd. Webber even briefly took a 57-55 lead moments later on a layup by Janaina Goncalves, marking the Warriors' first advantage since early in the first quarter.
Coastal Georgia responded immediately with clutch shot-making. Shepard answered with a three-pointer to put the Mariners back ahead 58-57, and after a Webber timeout, the visitors never trailed again. Kennerly connected on a pair of critical three-pointers in the final minutes, and Blackshear scored an important layup to push the lead to 67-62 with just over three minutes remaining.
Webber refused to go away quietly. The Warriors pulled within three points at 67-64 on a layup by Camryn Patterson with 1:39 left, and after a Coastal Georgia timeout, they had multiple opportunities to close the gap further. But clutch free-throw shooting by Miller and Shepard in the final 26 seconds, combined with Webber's inability to convert late three-point attempts, allowed the Mariners to escape with the six-point victory.
For Webber International (13-13, 7-8), Jaiden Ross and Goncalves each scored 14 points to pace the Warriors' attack. Ross added six rebounds and four assists while playing all 35 minutes. Isabel Negron contributed seven points and seven rebounds, while Jones came off the bench to provide 10 points. The Warriors dominated inside, outscoring Coastal Georgia 36-14 in the paint, but were undone by poor three-point shooting, connecting on just 1-of-8 attempts compared to the Mariners' 14-of-37 performance.
Webber also committed a costly technical foul in the first quarter when Patterson was assessed a technical, leading to free throws that helped Coastal Georgia build its early cushion. The Warriors attempted 30 free throws compared to just 21 for the Mariners but couldn't overcome their struggles from beyond the arc.
The victory keeps Coastal Georgia firmly in the conference race as the regular season winds down. The Mariners' balanced scoring attack and ability to knock down timely three-pointers proved to be the difference against a determined Webber squad that made them earn every possession in the final frame.
