AMERICUS, Ga. | Young Harris College had five players in double figures, but came up a point short 87-86 against Georgia Southwestern State University in a Peach Belt Conference women's basketball game Sunday (Feb. 4) afternoon at the Storm Dorm.

The Hurricanes improved to 7-12 overall and 4-11 in the Peach Belt as they nearly wasted a 17-point fourth quarter lead, while the Mountain Lions fell to 8-14 and 5-10. Young Harris returns to the YHC Basketball Arena Wednesday (Feb. 7) when they host their cross-mountain rival University of North Georgia in a 5:30 p.m. Battle of Blood Mountain rivalry game. It will also be the annual Purple Out contest for Young Harris and the game will be streamed on ESPN3 as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase,

Georgia Southwestern started the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run to open up a 77-60 lead on a Mariya Trimble layup with 7:50 remaining. The Mountain Lions started the rally by scoring the next nine points  - five from Ashlyn Ellison, a Ge'Naisha Robinson layup and two free throws from Briana Bell - to cut the margin to eight points (77-69) with 3:30 remaining. The Hurricanes pushed their margin back to nine points (84-75) on a Brittany Grant free throw with 1:45 to go. 

The Mountain Lions, who hit 10 three-pointers, got back-to-back three-pointers from Bell to trim the deficit to three (84-81) with 72 seconds remaining. After a Shanya Jones free throw seven seconds later, Sara Jorgensen nailed a three-pointer to pull Young Harris within a point (85-84) with 54 seconds left.

Grant made two free throws with 17 seconds to go to give the Hurricanes a 87-84 lead. Young Harris got within a point (87-86) on an Eryn Cochran layup with two seconds left and had a chance to win the game, but Robinson missed a last-season layup after the Hurricanes turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds pass.

Grant led the Hurricanes with 22 points, while Trible added 17 rebounds and 14 rebounds. Amanda Melosky added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Ellison led the Mountain Lions with 19 points, seven assists and four steals. Cochran tallied 15 points and five assists, while Bell finished with 13 points. Robinson contributed 11 points and Sarah Reid tallied 10 points. Jorgensen and Sarah Garner each scored nine points, while Garner pulled down eight rebounds.