MOBILE, Ala. (Interstat) — In a Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball game defined by wild momentum swings and a dramatic final minute of regulation, Georgia State erased a monumental early deficit to defeat South Alabama 78-75 in overtime on Thursday night at the Mitchell Center.

The visiting Panthers, who trailed by 18 points in the first quarter, completed their largest comeback of the season behind a heroic performance from guard Crystal Henderson. The Marietta, Georgia, native played all but three minutes, scoring 22 points and dishing out seven assists, including the critical pass that set up the game-tying basket to force the extra period.

South Alabama dominated the opening frame, racing to a 25-7 lead behind hot shooting from Amyah Sutton and Tamara Ortiz. The Jaguars’ defense stifled Georgia State, forcing eight turnovers while the Panthers managed just three field goals. The momentum shifted decisively in the second quarter, as Georgia State locked down defensively, holding South Alabama to eight points and closing the half on a 15-3 run to trail just 33-25.

The Panthers carried that energy into the second half, eventually taking their first lead late in the third quarter. The game then settled into a tense back-and-forth battle featuring 10 lead changes and six ties. South Alabama’s Daniela Gonzalez, who logged 45 minutes, hit a layup with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter to put the Jaguars ahead 68-66.

After a defensive stop, South Alabama had a chance to seal the game but committed a turnover with 59 seconds left. Georgia State’s Kaleigh Addie, who finished with 18 points, drove for a layup to tie the game at 68 with 55 seconds on the clock. The Jaguars held for the final shot, but Amyah Sutton’s contested three-point attempt at the buzzer missed, sending the game to overtime tied at 70.

The overtime period was a grind, with both teams struggling from the field. South Alabama took a 75-73 lead on two free throws from Chrysta Narcisse with 1:11 remaining. On the ensuing possession, Henderson was fouled on a drive and calmly sank both free throws to knot the score again. After a traveling violation on South Alabama’s Sutton, Georgia State had the ball with 29 seconds left. A turnover gave South Alabama a final chance, but Sutton’s three-pointer was off the mark.

Georgia State’s Gabbie Grooms secured the rebound and called timeout with 17 seconds left. Out of the break, Henderson drew a foul on Narcisse with just three-tenths of a second remaining. She missed the first free throw but sank the second to give the Panthers a 76-75 lead. South Alabama’s ensuing full-court inbound pass was intercepted, and Addie was fouled, making two final free throws for the final margin.

Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu provided crucial support for Georgia State with 12 points and key defensive plays, while Ari Dyson added 10 points. For South Alabama, Sutton led with 16 points, Ortiz scored 15 off the bench, and Gonzalez finished with 11 points, three assists and a block. Diawna Carter-Hartley and Narcisse each added 12 points.

The most important sequence of the game was the final minute of regulation. Trailing by two, Georgia State’s defense, which had been the catalyst for the comeback, forced a critical turnover from South Alabama’s Tamara Ortiz. This set up Addie’s game-tying layup. On the other end, the Panther defense then forced a difficult, missed final shot from Sutton to earn the overtime period, completing the reversal from their disastrous start and seizing the momentum that would eventually lead to the road victory.

Georgia State improved to 9-11 overall and 3-4 in Sun Belt play, while South Alabama fell to 9-9 and 3-4. An announced crowd of 366 attended the game at Mitchell Center.

The Panthers continue their road trip at Troy on Saturday. South Alabama returns to action at home against Georgia Southern on Saturday.