FURMAN TRIUMPHS AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN BEHIND STELLAR PLAY OF ORION WAKE

STATESBORO, Georgia -- After dropping the last two road games in overtime periods Furman finally triumphed in extra time, earning an 85-83 overtime victory against the Eagles of Georgia Southern.

Though four Lady Paladins managed to score in double digits, Furman's fate clearly rested in the hands of junior Orion Wake, who scored a career-high 26 points and claimed 13 rebounds in the victory, which marked the third time this season the Lady Paladins trailed at the half (43-38), but came back to post a "W."

Wake's performance spurred Furman's offense to a 29-of-51 night (.569), but the game was won on the foul line where the Lady Paladins shot 78.8% with a 26-of-33 showing. Wake, normally at 46% free throw shooter, connected on 10-of-13 free shots while sophomore guard Deshara Shealey went a perfect eight-foor-eight, en route to at 15 point night. Kim Lawrence also tallied 15 and was three-for-four from the line, while freshman Monica Pope scored 10, including a four-for-six free throw effort.

The Eagles of GSU were paced by Danna Simpson's 25 points total, while Alie Rousseau scored 24 and Jessica Everett added 11.

With the game tied and just two seconds on the clock Simpson, who had poured shots in all night, had a chance to win it in regulation for the Eagles. A 12-foot jumper rebounded to Tiffany Lanier, however, and the putback did not go. In overtime Simpson immediately sank a jumper to put the Eagles ahead 76-74. Baskets were traded and the score was 80-78, with Simpson having scored all six of GSU's overtime baskets when the all-conference guard fouled out of the game at the 1:47 mark. Wake connected on a pair of free shots to tie the game for the third time in the extra period at 1:47, but Jessica Everett put the Eagles ahead quickly on a jumper from the free throw line.

The fourth tie of overtime came on a Wake layup at 1:16 and Furman took its first lead when Kristy McCorkle fouled Wake and she connected on one free throw for the 83-82 Lady Paladin advantage. Fuman got another defensive stop on a Lanier turnover and foul and Deshara Shealey sank two free throws for the three-point Furman advantage.

An Althea Bufford foul with one second left send Alie Rousseau to the line where she made the first and missed the second. GSU's Sarah McCorkle got the rebound, but her last second shot did not find its target and Furman improved to 8-7 on the year and 3-3 in the league, while Georgia Southern fell to 6-9 overall and 3-4 in Southern Conference play.