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The Georgia College & State University women's basketball squad (15-13, 7-11 PBC) picked up a 53-36 midweek win over Flagler College (6-21, 3-14 PBC), but suffered an 82-78 weekend loss at Columbus State University (15-11, 9-9 PBC) to cap off its regular season.
On Senior Night Feb. 22, the GCSU Athletic Department honored seniors Harper Vick from Marietta, and Cassidy Markle from Cumming prior to the game.
Flagler was held to just 19 percent shooting from the floor (10-52) and only 6 percent (1-16) from beyond the arc by the Bobcats. GCSU allowed its fewest points of the 2022-23 season, and the fewest since Dec. 19, 2016, also against Flagler.
Leading GCSU scorer Alexa Geary had 15 points with five rebounds, with guard Myra Strickland getting 10 points, a teamhigh eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Markle knocked down two three-pointers, recorded five rebounds, and tallied a block and a steal for six points. And playing in her 123rd game, Vick broke the school record of 122 originally set in 1991 by GCSU Hall of Famer Sherita Ballard and later matched in 2004 by Breane Haggard. Vick has not missed a single game in her five seasons with the Bobcats.
With the win over Flagler, the Bobcats secured a playoff spot for the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament. The PBC Tournament is set to begin on March 1, at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus.
On Saturday against Columbus State, Strickland set a new career-high for the Bobcats, scoring 25 points on a scorching 8-for-12 shooting, including five three-pointers. She also hauled in eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, Jada Warren nabbed her first career double-double, scoring a career-high 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Vick also contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Both teams traded scoring opportunities in the first quarter, but CSU managed to pull ahead with a three-pointer at the end of the period to lead 17-14. The Cougars maintained a lead throughout the game, making five of their final six free throws to keep the Bobcats at bay.
CSU caused significant damage through fast breaks and turnovers, leading 21-2 in points off turnovers and 25-4 in fast-break points. However, the Bobcats dominated the rebounding battle, out-rebounding the Cougars 54-31 and converting those opportunities into a 21-7 lead in secondchance points, keeping the game close.
Peach Belt Conference playoffs began Mar. 1, with GCSU facing Georgia Southwestern, a team they lost to 72-48 in January and again with a 66-63 loss in February.
The Baldwin Bulletin will feature results from that game next week.