The College of Coastal Georgia women's basketball team fell to Ave Maria 83-72 on Thursday night at Tom Golisano Fieldhouse, moving to 16-8 overall and 6-6 in conference play.

The Mariners battled throughout, particularly in the fourth quarter, against a strong performance from Ave Maria's Gabby Beauperthuy, who recorded a game-high 27 points and 19 rebounds for an impressive double-double.

Paris Miller led Coastal Georgia with 21 points, including a remarkable 14-of-15 performance from the free throw line. The senior guard was particularly effective in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points as the Mariners mounted a comeback effort.

Hadiya Kennerly added 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Taylor Blackshear contributed 12 points and six rebounds. Blackshear was active on the defensive end with five steals, disrupting Ave Maria's offensive flow throughout the game.

The Mariners faced challenges from three-point range, connecting on 4-of-33 attempts for 12.1 percent. Coastal Georgia focused much of their offensive attack from beyond the arc but the shots didn't fall on this night.

Coastal Georgia trailed 20-16 after the first quarter and faced a 20-point deficit in the third quarter when Ave Maria extended their lead to 45-25. The Mariners responded with a strong second-half performance.

The second quarter saw Coastal Georgia score nine points on 4-of-17 shooting, while Ave Maria added 20 points in the period to take a 40-25 halftime advantage.

The Mariners showed their character in the second half, outscoring the Gyrenes 47-43 over the final 20 minutes. They won the fourth quarter 25-24, with Miller attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line repeatedly.

Ave Maria improved to 9-8 overall and 6-5 in conference play with the victory. Elena Barnes added 16 points for the Gyrenes, while Cortney Smith contributed 15 points. The home team held a rebounding advantage 58-34, with Beauperthuy grabbing 19 of those rebounds.

The Mariners shot 31.5 percent from the field for the game but were strong from the free throw line at 84.6 percent, converting 22-of-26 attempts. They also held an edge in points off turnovers, scoring 24 to Ave Maria's 15.

Coastal Georgia continues conference play as they look to build on their second-half performance.