FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 1-29-03

Women's Basketball: AASU 85, GC&SU 73

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (January 29) - The Armstrong Atlantic State women's basketball team exorcised nearly 16 years of frustration by going on the road and defeating the GC&SU Lady Bobcats, 85-73, in Peach Belt Conference women's basketball action at the Centennial Center on Wednesday evening. It was the first win for AASU in Milledgeville against the Lady Bobcats since the opening game of the 1984-85 season.

The Lady Pirates (15-3, 8-2 PBC) jumped out to a quick 16-5 lead and led by 10 at halftime, 42-32, by hitting 7-of-14 three-pointers in the first half. GC&SU (10-8, 4-6) chipped away in the second half, at one point hitting six straight shots from the floor. GC&SU finally took the lead, 64-63, on a Breane Haggard jumper with 6:34 remaining. AASU then went to its go-to players as juniors Tishay Lewis and Tasha Washington combined to score the next 13 points to allow the Lady Pirates to pull away for the victory. The win also snapped GC&SU's 15-game winning streak over the Lady Pirates that dated back to the 1995-96 season.

Lewis led all scorers with 29 points and 11 rebounds, her second double-double as a Lady Pirate. Washington added 22 points and senior Zandrique Cason chipped in 11 points, while the Lady Bobcats placed four players in double figures, led by Larkin Cleaveland's career-high 20 points and Dalana Watson's 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lady Pirates are next in action on Saturday, February 1 at UNC Pemboke at 5:30 p.m.

- Pirates -