Georgia Southwestern women fall in season opener

Staff Reports

AMERICUS, Ga. – The Georgia Southwestern State University women’s basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a strong first-half performance Tuesday night, but a fourth-quarter surge by Trevecca Nazarene University lifted the Trojans to a 71-63 victory in front of 691 fans at the Storm Dome.

Behind a game-high 22 points from Destiny Smith and a double-double from Shane’ Jackson, the Lady Hurricanes controlled much of the opening half and carried a narrow advantage into the final quarter before Trevecca rallied to claim the victory.

The contest marked the first-ever meeting between Georgia Southwestern and Trevecca Nazarene in women’s basketball, with the Lady Hurricanes falling to 0-1 and the Trojans improving to 1-0.

Lady Hurricanes Set the Tone Early

Georgia Southwestern came out strong defensively, holding Trevecca to just nine first-quarter points while building a double-digit advantage.

After the teams traded baskets in the opening minutes, Smith connected on a three-pointer to give GSW a 9-7 lead with 5:14 remaining in the period. Kassidy Neal followed with a fastbreak layup, and Jackson added a basket and two free throws to extend the advantage to 15-9.

The Lady Hurricanes continued to build momentum, with Madison Brittle contributing a jumper before Smith closed the quarter with a layup to give GSW a 19-9 lead.

GSW shot 50 percent from the field in the opening quarter while limiting Trevecca to just 16.7 percent shooting.

Trevecca Battles Back Before Halftime

The Lady Hurricanes carried their momentum into the second quarter, stretching the lead to 14 points on two occasions, including a 25-11 advantage following a Jackson tip-in with 6:28 remaining before halftime.

Trevecca began to find its offensive rhythm midway through the period, using timely three-point shooting and second-chance opportunities to chip away at the deficit.

The Trojans closed the half on a 15-8 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Brianna Burgess and a late basket from Jordan Gillies, trimming GSW’s advantage to 33-29 at the break.

Despite the late push, Georgia Southwestern shot an impressive 52 percent from the field in the opening half and held the Trojans to 32.1 percent shooting.

Third-Quarter Battle Keeps Game Close

GSW opened the second half with renewed energy, as Jackson scored on a putback before Smith knocked down a three-pointer to push the Lady Hurricanes’ lead to 38-29.

Trevecca responded with a 14-6 run, fueled by Jayda Woods, who connected on back-to-back three-pointers to bring the Trojans within one point, 44-43, with 1:45 remaining in the third quarter.

Smith answered with a pair of free throws, and Neal added a late layup to help Georgia Southwestern maintain a 48-45 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes.

Trojans Rally in Final Quarter

Trevecca continued its comeback early in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 48 on a three-point play by Ava Jones with 8:53 remaining.

The Lady Hurricanes responded immediately, with Ariana Dyson converting a three-point play before Smith drained her third three-pointer of the night to give GSW a 54-50 lead with 7:46 to play.

The Trojans answered with an 8-1 run, capped by a three-pointer from Allie Gillies that gave Trevecca its first lead since the opening quarter, 58-55, with 6:02 remaining.

Georgia Southwestern continued to battle, cutting the deficit to two points on free throws from Jackson, but Trevecca scored seven unanswered points to extend its lead to 65-58 with just over three minutes remaining.

Neal added a late basket for the Lady Hurricanes, but the Trojans converted key free throws down the stretch to secure the eight-point victory.

Smith Leads GSW Offensive Effort

Smith led all scorers with 22 points, connecting on three three-pointers and finishing 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. She also contributed three assists and a steal in 34 minutes of action.

Neal added 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting while collecting five rebounds and two steals.

Jackson provided a strong presence in the paint, recording a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in just 20 minutes off the bench.

Makenzie Kelly contributed seven points and four rebounds, while Dyson finished with six points and nine rebounds.

Trevecca was led by Woods with 14 points off the bench, while Burgess and Allie Gillies added 13 points apiece. Jordan Gillies finished with 12 points and seven assists.

Rebounding Advantage Not Enough

Georgia Southwestern controlled the glass throughout the contest, outrebounding Trevecca 41-30, including a 12-9 advantage on the offensive boards.

The Lady Hurricanes also held a 34-32 edge in points in the paint and converted Trevecca’s eight turnovers into 15 points.

However, GSW struggled to find its shooting touch in the second half, connecting on just 32.1 percent of its field-goal attempts over the final two quarters after shooting 52 percent before halftime.

Trevecca capitalized on the opportunity, shooting 57.1 percent in the fourth quarter and outscoring the Lady Hurricanes 26-15 over the final 10 minutes.

The Lady Hurricanes finished the night shooting 41.5 percent from the field, while Trevecca connected on 41.1 percent of its attempts.

Next Up

Georgia Southwestern will look to bounce back from its season-opening setback as the Lady Hurricanes travel to Wise, Va., for a pair of games this weekend starting with UVA Wise on Friday at 2 p.m.