SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Interstat) — Lainie Douglas scored 21 points to lead Missouri State to a 69-58 victory over Georgia Southern in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at JQH Arena.

The Lady Bears remained undefeated, improving to 5-0, while the Eagles fell to 1-3.

Missouri State overcame a slow start to take control of the game in the middle quarters. Georgia Southern opened the game with a 17-9 first-quarter lead, capitalizing on a disruptive defense that forced the Lady Bears into 10 turnovers in the period.

The momentum shifted decisively in the second quarter as Missouri State outscored Georgia Southern 21-12. The Lady Bears tightened their defense and found their offensive rhythm, taking a 30-29 lead into halftime.

The third quarter saw Missouri State extend its advantage, outscoring the Eagles 22-13. Douglas, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Overland Park, Kansas, was a consistent force inside, and the Lady Bears’ ball security improved dramatically after their first-quarter struggles.

Georgia Southern was led by McKenna Eddings, who logged 38 minutes and finished with 15 points, four assists and two blocks. Shanti Simmons added nine points for the Eagles.

Missouri State’s Kaemyn Bekemeier, a 5-9 guard from Republic, Missouri, contributed 14 points in the win.

While Georgia Southern forced 23 Missouri State turnovers and scored 20 points off them, the Eagles’ offensive struggles proved too much to overcome. Georgia Southern shot just 31 percent from the field and a frigid 9 percent from three-point range, making only 3 of 32 attempts. The Eagles also struggled at the free-throw line, converting 11 of 21 chances.

Missouri State was more efficient from the floor, shooting 37 percent, and made 4 of 10 from beyond the arc. The Lady Bears dominated the glass, pulling down 22 offensive rebounds compared to Georgia Southern’s 14, which led to 18 second-chance points.

An announced crowd of 2,080 watched the game at JQH Arena.

Georgia Southern will look to rebound at home against Mercer on Saturday. Missouri State, now 5-0, hits the road for its next contest at Tulsa on Saturday.