FORT VALLEY, GA (December 14, 2015) – The Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (1-8; 0-2) led by as much as 20-points in the third quarter, before allowing Georgia Southwestern University (6-1) to come back and win 58-57 at the horn Monday night at the HPE complex on Fort Valley State's campus.
 
FVSU went to halftime up 32-20. Senior guard Jayme Gilbert (Montezuma, GA) led all scorers with 12-points and junior forward Shereba Montgomery (Abbeville, GA) added 8-points and 5 rebounds. Gilbert went 6-for-6 at the free throw line during the half. Jasmine McSwain led GSW with 7-points.
 
With 9:12 left in the third quarter, Gilbert's layup increased the Lady Wildcats lead to 34-20 and junior forward Briunca Caldwell (Fairburn, GA) jumper at the 7:55 mark gave FVSU a 41-22 lead. At the 7:21 mark, Gilbert drained a three to make it 44-24. GSW Ja'Quasha Sesler hit two free throws to cut the lead to 10-points (46-36) with .30 seconds to go.
 
In the fourth quarter, Chanice Whitton layup and free throw closed the gap GSW to 48-44, but the Lady Wildcats would gained the lead by 7-points three more times. GSW's McSwain 3-pointer would tie the game at 55-55 with 2:20 left. Freshman point guard Ricarsha Johnson (Thomasville, GA) made two free throws to give FVSU a 57-55 lead with 2:00 to go. Sesler tied the game at 57-57 for a third time with 1:35 remaining. Then, with time running out, Yvonna Dunkley made the winning layup with one second left.
 
Gilbert led the Lady Wildcats in scoring with a game-high 19-points, while making 6-of-14 baskets, one 3-pointer, went 6-for-6 at the foul line, 4 rebounds and 7 steals. Montgomery had 10-points and 7 rebounds, while senior forward Katice Williams (Augusta, GA) grabbed a game-high 9 boards.
 
FVSU had 49 rebounds to GSW 47. GSW outscored FVSU in the paint 30-24, 18-16 off turnovers, but the Lady Wildcats scored 16-points to GSW 13 on second chance shots and 28-21 points from bench players.
 
McSwain scored a team-high 17-points for GSW and Dunkley added 10, Va'Queshia Hall led the team with 6 rebounds.
 
FVSU shot 31.7% (19-60) from the floor and made 55.6% (15-27) foul shots, while GSW hit 22-of-66 (33.3%) shots from the field and 10-of-24 (41.7%) at the free throw line.