Toccoa Falls comes from behind to down Panthers:: Women's Basketball :: Athletics :: LaGrange College

Toccoa Falls comes from behind to down Panthers
Jan. 31, 2008

TOCCOA FALLS, Ga. – Host Toccoa Falls College came from behind to down LaGrange College 50-44 on Thursday at the Lois Delaney Gymnasium. The loss was the fourth straight for the Panthers, now 7-12. The Lady Eagles upped their record to 12-7.

Jessica Barba led the Panthers with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Ashley Hoglund had eight points, while Jessica Boler added six. Toccoa's Bonnie McGee led all scorers with 15 points, all coming on 3-pointers. Dyanna Cannon had a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for the Lady Eagles.

In the first half, McGee tied the game at 7-7 with her first 3-pointer. The Panthers ran off 15 straight points to take a 22-7 lead with 6:37 left in the half. Ebonie Johnson's jumper started the Panthers' run, ending with a layup by Barba off an assist from Hoglund.

But the Panthers went cold the rest of the half. They missed their final eight shots from the floor and a pair of free throws that allowed Toccoa to get back in the game. The Lady Eagles scored the final 10 points of the half to trail 22-17.

Toccoa opened the second half with a 10-2 spurt to take a 27-24 lead. McGee's 3-pointer broke a 24-24 tie with 16:44 left in the game. The Panthers fell behind by as many as six before coming back. Melissa Mora's jumper got the Panthers within a point, 33-32. Barba scored off an assist from Johnson to put the Panthers up 34-33 with 8:46 left.

The Panthers took the lead for the last time with 3:24 left. Hoglund's 3-pointer gave the Panthers a 42-41 lead. Becky Ester's basket put Toccoa ahead to stay, 43-42. The Lady Eagles put the game away with three free throws in the final 20 seconds for the 50-44 final.

The Panthers shot only 29 percent from the floor, making only 2-of-22 3-point attempts. They had a 50-35 rebound advantage. The Panthers made 2-of-7 free throws, while the Lady Eagles hit 12-of-20.

The Panthers are on the road next Thursday at Spelman in a GSAC game. The Panthers defeated the Jaguars 64-53 at Mariotti Gym on Jan. 9.