Box Score Junior Breonna O'Conner scores career-high 23 points as a Jaguar
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University junior-transfer Breonna O'Conner scored her career-high 23 points as a Jaguar to pace the team to a 79-59 non-conference win over Clark Atlanta on Monday night in Christenberry Fieldhouse.
Augusta (5-2) only trailed once when the Panthers (1-5) sunk the first bucket of the night and held the initial lead. The Jags quickly turned it around when senior Camille Gee hit a layup and made two free-throws in back-to-back Jaguar possessions. Augusta led by as much as eight in first quarter and though Clark Atlanta brought it within a bucket at 8:04, the Jaguars enjoyed an 8-0 run to get to a safe 26-18 lead.
With 44 seconds dwindling on the clock, senior Kariel Hutt found sophomore Joshlyn Belcher for a corner three pointer and the Jags went into the half on top 40-27.
O'Conner tied her Jaguar career-high 14 points in the first half and she ended the night with a total of 23 points with five steals and four rebounds. O'Conner stole and inbound pass near the start of the second half and a fast-break layup, finished with a crossover step, boosted the Jags ahead.
CAU's Mykala Jones hit four three pointers through the first three periods and Sierra Bubb put up an early 10 points to keep the Panthers in a respectable contest. The Jags led by 14 during the third period, but the Panthers remained persistent and cut the score to 54-51.
Augusta sophomore Cynara Pitt and Gee each converted three-point plays to bring the Jags back ahead. O'Conner completed a three-point play as well with three minutes to go and hit the free throw to push the lead back to 20 points.
The Jags shot 66.7 percent from the floor at the free-throw line and 47.6 percent from the floor. Augusta scored 41 points in the paint to CAU's eight and scored 31 points off Panther turnovers.
Gee added 15 points and four boards and Hutt produced 10 points and six rebounds. Belcher posted nine points and four rebounds off the bench and Kayla Lovett recorded six points and four boards.
Augusta travels to Converse in Spartanburg, S.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 15 for a 5:30 p.m. non-conference game. The Jags open Peach Belt Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 17 at Georgia Southwestern in Americus, Ga., at 5:30 p.m. and face Montevallo in Montevallo, Ala., on Dec. at 2:30 p.m.
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