NO. 9 SPARTANS EARN VICTORY ON THE ROAD

TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 9 Tampa Spartans earned a win against the Georgia College Bobcats

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final Score:  No. 9 Tampa Spartans 65, Georgia College Bobcats 56

Records: Tampa (9-2, 3-0 SSC), Georgia College (5-3) 

Location: Centennial Center | Milledgeville, Ga.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In a matchup between Tampa and Georgia College on December 7, 2023, Tampa emerged victorious with a final score of 65-56. Tampa, with a record of 9-2 and 3-0 in the Sunshine Conference, displayed a strong performance against Georgia College, who had a record of 5-3 and 0-0 in the Peach Belt Conference.

The game started off with Tampa taking an early lead in the first quarter, outscoring Georgia College 16-12. The second quarter saw a similar pattern, with Tampa maintaining their lead and ending the half with a score of 33-24. The third quarter proved to be Tampa's strongest, as they outscored Georgia College 25-13, extending their lead to 58-37. However, Georgia College fought back in the fourth quarter, scoring 19 points compared to Tampa's 7, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.

Zoe Piller of Tampa was a standout player of the game, contributing 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. Mya Giusto also had a strong performance for Tampa, scoring 21 points and dishing out 5 assists. On the other side, Ashyia Willis led Georgia College with 9 points, while Hannah Cail added 11 points.

In terms of shooting percentages, Tampa had a better overall performance, shooting 42.1% from the field, 37.5% from beyond the arc, and 73.3% from the free-throw line. Georgia College struggled with their shooting, only making 28.8% of their field goals and 19.4% of their three-point attempts. However, they had a strong showing from the free-throw line, making 92.3% of their attempts.

Both teams displayed a strong defensive effort, with Tampa recording 5 steals and 2 blocks, while Georgia College had 3 steals and 5 blocks.

Overall, Tampa's strong offensive performance and solid defense secured their victory against Georgia College. The win improved Tampa's record to 9-2, while Georgia College fell to 5-3. Both teams will look to build on their performances as they continue their respective conference schedules.

INSIDE THE STATS

• Giusto and Van Bennekom played the full 40 minutes
• Giusto led in scoring with 21 points
• Piller led in rebounds with 12
• Ramsey led in assists with 8

UP NEXT: Tampa will travel to Dahlonega, Georgia to take on the No.22 North Georgia Nighthawks on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 1:30 p.m.