CARROLLTON, Ga. (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth contest defined by offensive runs and crucial plays in the final minute, Georgia Southern held off a persistent West Georgia squad for a 91-85 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at The Coliseum. The Eagles (8-5) never trailed after the opening basket but could never fully shake the Wolves (5-5), who trimmed a 13-point first-half deficit to a single possession multiple times in the second half. The most important sequence came with under 30 seconds to play and Georgia Southern clinging to a four-point lead. After West Georgia’ Josh Smith hit a deep 3-pointer to cut the Eagles’ lead to 88-85 with 24 seconds remaining, Georgia Southern’s inbound pass was intercepted by Shelton Williams-Dryden. The steal gave the Wolves a chance to tie, but Chas Lewless missed a driving layup with 10 seconds left. Georgia Southern’s Tyren Moore secured the defensive rebound and found Alden Applewhite for a clinching layup with 8 seconds left to seal the win. Georgia Southern set the tone early with a blistering start, hitting its first four shots, including two 3-pointers, to force a West Georgia timeout just two minutes into the game with a 10-0 lead. The Eagles extended that lead to 13 points midway through the first half behind the hot shooting of Tavarus Webb and Tyren Moore. West Georgia responded with a 12-2 run, fueled by Smith and Lewless, to close the gap. The Wolves kept within striking distance for the remainder of the half, entering the break down 45-42. The second half followed a similar pattern. Georgia Southern would build a cushion, only for West Georgia to answer. A 3-pointer by Smith brought the Wolves within 66-63 with just over seven minutes to play. Minutes later, a tip-in by Kenneth Chime made it 74-72 with 4:30 on the clock. Each time, the Eagles had a counter. Webb, who finished with a team-high 20 points, consistently attacked the rim and drew fouls, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. His backcourt mate, Moore, also scored 20 points and dished out four assists, providing steady ball-handling against West Georgia’s pressure. The Wolves were led by a game-high 24 points from Smith, while Lewless added 22. Chime was a force inside with 12 points and three blocks. West Georgia’s interior defense, which recorded eight blocks, kept them in the game despite Georgia Southern’s efficient offensive night. Andres Burney provided a critical interior presence for the Eagles with 16 points and two blocks, while Shainen Carter added 10 points off the bench. Georgia Southern shot a higher percentage from the field and from 3-point range than West Georgia, and also outperformed the Wolves from the free-throw line. The Eagles’ ability to convert at the stripe down the stretch proved decisive, as they made 10 of their final 12 free throws in the last four minutes to maintain their lead. The game’s total of 176 points sailed over the pregame over/under line of 155.5. An announced crowd of 686 watched the contest. With the win, Georgia Southern extends its winning streak to three games heading into a Thursday night home matchup against in-state foe Georgia State. West Georgia looks to rebound when it hosts Brewton-Parker on Wednesday.

CARROLLTON, Ga. (Interstat) — A surging Georgia Southern looks to extend its winning streak when it visits West Georgia in a nonconference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at The Coliseum. The Eagles (7-5) have won four straight games, most recently a 100-58 rout of Coastal Georgia on Thursday. The Wolves (5-4) are looking to rebound from a 59-87 home loss to Tennessee Tech on Dec. 6. Georgia Southern’s offense has found its rhythm during the streak, averaging 86.3 points per game over the last four contests. Guard Tavarus Webb has been instrumental, averaging 19.3 points and 3.3 assists during the run. He erupted for 32 points in a win over Louisiana Tech on Dec. 3 and dished out seven assists in Thursday’s blowout. West Georgia will counter with guard Josh Smith, its leading scorer in the loss to Tennessee Tech with 17 points. Smith has been a consistent offensive threat, scoring in double figures in six of the Wolves’ nine games, including a season-high 27 points in the season opener against The Citadel. The Eagles have shown a stark home/road split, going 6-1 at home but just 1-4 in true road games. Their only away victory during this streak was an 88-84 nail-biter at Gardner-Webb. West Georgia is 3-2 at home this season, with notable wins over The Citadel and South Carolina Upstate. This game represents a final tune-up for both teams before extended breaks. Georgia Southern doesn’t play again until hosting Georgia State on Dec. 18, while West Georgia hosts Brewton-Parker on Dec. 17 before a tough road test at Georgia. The Wolves will need to contain Webb and improve defensively after allowing Tennessee Tech to shoot 56.7% from the field. Georgia Southern aims to carry its potent offensive momentum into its first visit to Carrollton since 2007. Tip-off is set for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.