STATESBORO, Ga. (Interstat) — In a game defined by runs and resilience, the Georgia Southern Eagles overcame a significant second-half deficit and a strong statistical projection to defeat the James Madison Dukes 78-70 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday night at Hanner Fieldhouse.

The most important part of the contest arrived in the fourth quarter, where Georgia Southern authored a decisive closing statement. After trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter and entering the final period clinging to a one-point lead, the Eagles unleashed a 25-point fourth quarter to pull away. The Dukes, who had fought back to take a brief lead in the third, saw their offense stagnate under increased defensive pressure, managing just two field goals in the final six minutes.

The victory was anchored by a spectacular performance from Georgia Southern guard Kishyah Anderson. The Phoenix, Arizona, native scored a game-high 26 points, including several critical baskets during the Eagles’ pivotal surges. Her backcourt partner, Destiny Garrett of Bessemer, Alabama, provided crucial support with 21 points and three assists, forming a potent scoring duo that James Madison struggled to contain.

James Madison, which entered the game with an 82.7% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system, was led by Ashanti Barnes’ 15 points and Bree Robinson’s 14. The Dukes showcased their fight by erasing a 10-point first-quarter deficit, eventually building a 54-45 lead in the third quarter after a 12-2 run. However, they could not sustain that momentum against Georgia Southern’s persistent attack.

The game began at a frenetic pace, with Georgia Southern capitalizing on early James Madison turnovers to build a 20-10 lead after the first quarter. The Dukes responded in the second, tightening their defense and finding rhythm offensively to outscore the Eagles 17-15 and trim the halftime deficit to 35-27.

The third quarter belonged largely to James Madison. A 22-point outburst, fueled by Barnes and Robinson, saw them not only erase the remaining gap but seize control of the game. A Peyton McDaniel three-pointer gave the Dukes their largest lead at nine points with 6:49 left in the quarter. Yet, Georgia Southern closed the period on a 12-4 run, capped by a Destiny Garrett three-pointer, to snatch back a 53-52 edge heading to the fourth.

The final period saw the Eagles separate themselves with efficiency and key plays. Leading 64-62 with under five minutes to play, Georgia Southern engineered a 7-0 run, featuring a layup from Kayla Cleaveland and a traditional three-point play from Anderson, to open a nine-point cushion at 71-62. James Madison could not mount another comeback, as missed free throws and timely Georgia Southern baskets sealed the outcome.

Statistically, Georgia Southern’s superior shooting proved decisive. The Eagles connected on 32 of 58 field goal attempts for 55.2%, while James Madison shot 43.1% on 25-of-58 shooting. The Dukes attempted 12 more free throws but made only 17, a 60.7% rate that left potential points off the board. Both teams committed nearly equal turnovers, but Georgia Southern’s ability to convert possessions into points was higher, posting an offensive rating of 108.2 to James Madison’s 93.0.

With the win, Georgia Southern improved to 11-4 overall. The Eagles will host Old Dominion on Saturday. James Madison fell to 11-6 and will look to rebound on the road at Georgia State this Saturday. The two Sun Belt Conference foes are scheduled for a rematch in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Jan. 17.