CARROLLTON, Ga. (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth contest defined by offensive runs and crucial plays in the final minute, Georgia Southern held off a persistent West Georgia squad for a 91-85 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at The Coliseum.

The Eagles (8-5) never trailed after the opening basket but could never fully shake the Wolves (5-5), who trimmed a 13-point first-half deficit to a single possession multiple times in the second half. The most important sequence came with under 30 seconds to play and Georgia Southern clinging to a four-point lead.

After West Georgia’ Josh Smith hit a deep 3-pointer to cut the Eagles’ lead to 88-85 with 24 seconds remaining, Georgia Southern’s inbound pass was intercepted by Shelton Williams-Dryden. The steal gave the Wolves a chance to tie, but Chas Lewless missed a driving layup with 10 seconds left. Georgia Southern’s Tyren Moore secured the defensive rebound and found Alden Applewhite for a clinching layup with 8 seconds left to seal the win.

Georgia Southern set the tone early with a blistering start, hitting its first four shots, including two 3-pointers, to force a West Georgia timeout just two minutes into the game with a 10-0 lead. The Eagles extended that lead to 13 points midway through the first half behind the hot shooting of Tavarus Webb and Tyren Moore.

West Georgia responded with a 12-2 run, fueled by Smith and Lewless, to close the gap. The Wolves kept within striking distance for the remainder of the half, entering the break down 45-42.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Georgia Southern would build a cushion, only for West Georgia to answer. A 3-pointer by Smith brought the Wolves within 66-63 with just over seven minutes to play. Minutes later, a tip-in by Kenneth Chime made it 74-72 with 4:30 on the clock.

Each time, the Eagles had a counter. Webb, who finished with a team-high 20 points, consistently attacked the rim and drew fouls, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. His backcourt mate, Moore, also scored 20 points and dished out four assists, providing steady ball-handling against West Georgia’s pressure.

The Wolves were led by a game-high 24 points from Smith, while Lewless added 22. Chime was a force inside with 12 points and three blocks. West Georgia’s interior defense, which recorded eight blocks, kept them in the game despite Georgia Southern’s efficient offensive night.

Andres Burney provided a critical interior presence for the Eagles with 16 points and two blocks, while Shainen Carter added 10 points off the bench.

Georgia Southern shot a higher percentage from the field and from 3-point range than West Georgia, and also outperformed the Wolves from the free-throw line. The Eagles’ ability to convert at the stripe down the stretch proved decisive, as they made 10 of their final 12 free throws in the last four minutes to maintain their lead.

The game’s total of 176 points sailed over the pregame over/under line of 155.5. An announced crowd of 686 watched the contest.

With the win, Georgia Southern extends its winning streak to three games heading into a Thursday night home matchup against in-state foe Georgia State. West Georgia looks to rebound when it hosts Brewton-Parker on Wednesday.