Strong second half lifts Talladega College women’s hoops over College of Coastal Georgia

Courtesy of Talladega College Athletics

72

 TC

65

CGU

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Led by a 31-point effort from Makayla Transou, the Talladega College women’s basketball team ramped up in the second half to grab a 72-65 victory over the College of Coastal Georgia Mariners Tuesday evening in the Coffin Gym.
 
Transou, a sophomore from Jackson, Tennessee, finished the game 10-of-18 from the floor, which included a 4-of-6 effort from three, and connected on 7-of-9 free throws. The 5-foot-7 guard added three steals, two assists and a block. She scored 19 of her 31 points in the second half. 
 
The Tornadoes (5-9) entered the third quarter down 37-26, but seconds into the quarter Amayla Sharif connected on a three to cut the score to 37-29. Both teams battled throughout the period until Sharif hit another three, this time, her shot gave Talladega the team’s first lead of the game at 50-49 with 35 seconds left in the quarter. Andranique Voorhies hit a free throw with 12 seconds left to send the game to the fourth, tied at 50-50.
 
The Mariners (1-15) jumped to a four-point lead early in the fourth thanks to consecutive threes from Joyce Jordan, split by a layup from Transou to bring the score to 56-52 in favor of Coastal Georgia. Back-to-back layups from Amir Brown and Brooklyn Talton tied the contest at 56-56. Sonia Forney scored a layup with just over four minutes to give CCG its last lead of the night at 58-56. Transou hit a three to put Dega up 59-58, and the Tornadoes never looked back on the way to the 72-65 road win.
 
The early moments belonged to Coastal Georgia, who used an aggressive attack early to build a 12-0 lead. Je’Nya Wilder connected on a shot from behind the arc to put Dega on the board at 12-3 with 3:17 on the first quarter clock. Talladega limited the Mariners to five points the rest of the quarter to trail 17-11 after 10 minutes of action. 
 
CCG’s aggressiveness in the second quarter gave the impression of a blowout as the Mariners built a 17-point lead with 2:19 to go until half when Nicole Hoffman hit a three to go up 37-20. Dega responded with a 6-0 run capped by a three from Transou to trim the lead to 37-26 for Coastal Georgia at the break. 
 
Three more Tornadoes finished in double figures as Wilder had 14 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Shamya Lomanadded 11 points and three steals. Sharif posted 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. 
 
Talladega finished the game 40.7 percent (14-of-59) from the floor, 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from three, and 76.2 percent (16-of-21) at the free throw line. 
 
Turnovers played a key role as Dega turned 22 turnovers from the Mariners to 19 points. The Tornadoes also posted 35 points in the paint, 21 points from reserves, and 13 second-chance points. 
Joyce Jordan led Coastal Georgia with 22 points, and Forney added 17 points and nine rebounds. 
 
CCG shot 50 percent (25-of-50) overall, 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from beyond the arc, and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from the line.
 
Talladega College returns to action Monday in a road Southern States Athletic Conference in Cochran, Georgia, against Middle Georgia State University with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.