NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — Destiny Garrett recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Georgia Southern Eagles used a dominant third-quarter run to pull away from the Charleston Southern Buccaneers for a 65-57 victory in a nonconference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at CSU Field House.

In a contest defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggles, Georgia Southern improved to 3-3 on the season, while Charleston Southern dropped to 1-5.

The Eagles clung to a 31-25 halftime lead before seizing control of the game in the third period. After Charleston Southern’s Asha Sra scored on a driving layup to cut the deficit to 27-25 early in the quarter, Georgia Southern erupted. The Eagles embarked on a decisive 16-3 run, fueled by their defense and the scoring of Garrett and Kishyah Anderson.

Garrett, a 5-foot-4 guard from Bessemer, Alabama, ignited the surge with a 3-pointer. Anderson then converted a layup while being fouled and made the ensuing free throw. Jamiria Jones capped the run with a 3-pointer, pushing the Eagles’ advantage to 43-30 and forcing a Charleston Southern timeout. Georgia Southern outscored the Buccaneers 22-15 in the quarter to take a 53-40 lead into the final period.

Charleston Southern refused to capitulate in the fourth quarter, mounting a late charge behind Thelma Barbitch. The 5-foot-10 guard from Paris, France, who finished with a team-high 23 points, hit a pair of 3-pointers as part of a 13-2 Buccaneers run. Her second long-range shot, assisted by Sra, brought Charleston Southern within 57-53 with just over two minutes remaining.

The Buccaneers had a chance to cut the deficit to a single possession on their next trip down the floor, but a turnover thwarted the opportunity. Georgia Southern’s Shanti Simmons then converted a crucial layup to stretch the lead back to six points with 1:14 left. Charleston Southern could get no closer than four points the rest of the way, as Garrett sealed the game by making three of four free-throw attempts in the final 24 seconds.

The game was a defensive battle from the opening tip. Both teams struggled from the field, with Georgia Southern shooting 38% on 24-of-63 shooting and Charleston Southern connecting on 37% of its attempts, going 22 of 59. The teams were nearly identical from beyond the arc, with each making 10 3-pointers.

The difference came in other facets of the game. Georgia Southern’s defense was more disruptive, forcing 14 Charleston Southern turnovers while committing only nine. The Eagles converted those miscues into a 9-6 advantage in steals. Georgia Southern also dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds leading to 13 second-chance points, compared to just eight offensive boards for the Buccaneers.

Another key disparity was at the free-throw line. Despite shooting poorly overall from the stripe at 47%, making just 7 of 15, Georgia Southern attempted 10 more free throws than Charleston Southern, which went 3 for 5.

Beyond Garrett’s standout performance, Georgia Southern received balanced scoring. Simmons, a 5-9 guard from Eatonton, Georgia, provided a significant spark off the bench with 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals before fouling out. Anderson, a 5-10 guard from Phoenix, Arizona, also scored 11 points, while McKenna Eddings of Williamsburg, Virginia, chipped in nine points and five rebounds.

For Charleston Southern, Barbitch’s 23 points came on 8-of-21 shooting, including 5 of 13 from 3-point range. Sra, a 5-9 guard from Fresno, California, filled the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Alaina Nettles of Summerville, South Carolina, was a force inside, pulling down 10 rebounds to go with eight points.

The game began slowly for both offenses, with Georgia Southern taking a 17-10 lead after the first quarter. The Eagles maintained their edge throughout a low-scoring second period, heading into the locker room with a six-point lead before their third-quarter explosion ultimately secured the road victory.

Georgia Southern next travels to face Wofford on Sunday. Charleston Southern returns to action at home against Mercer on Friday.