AMERICUS, Ga. | Jacquelyn Levay and Ava Jones each scored 27 points to lead top seed Georgia Southwestern State University past No. 6 seed Young Harris College 83-64 in the championship game of the Peach Belt Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Saturday (March 4) afternoon at the Storm Dome.
The Hurricanes earned the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II National Tournament as they improved to 24-6, while the Mountain Lions ended their season at 15-14.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE:
- The Hurricanes led the entire game, but the Mountain Lions got as close as three points (35-32) after an old-fashioned three-point play by All-PBC Tournament performer Kalen Surles 57 seconds into the third quarter.
- Georgia Southwestern took control of the game as they scored the next 16 points to open up a 51-32 lead with 5:02 left in the third quarter.
- Mackenzie Johnson, who was also named to the All-PBC Tournament team, led the Mountain Lions with 32 points, tying her career high. She also finished with eight rebounds. Johnson, who hit 14-of-24 from the floor, finished her career as the No. 1 rebounder (840) and No. 2 scorer (1,045) at YHC.Â
- Surles nearly had a double double as she scored nine points to go along with eight rebounds and four steals.
- Dustie Obah also grabbed eight rebounds for the Mountain Lions, while JaMari Frederick added eight points.
- The game marked the final one as a Mountain Lion for Johnson, Surles and Carly Winters.
