New Haven, Conn.- The Georgian Court University women's basketball squad returned from its 10-day holiday hiatus Wednesday afternoon with a trip to Southern Connecticut State University as the Lions dropped a 79-59 non-conference decision to the host-Owls in Moore Field House.

GCU ends the calendar year at 2-10 while SCSU of the Northeast-10 Conference ups its mark to 9-4.

The home team jumped out to an 11-6 advantage with 2:53 remaining in the first quarter, but two three-pointers from Alliyah Berger and a jumper, courtesy of Destiny Thompson, provided the Lions with a 14-13 lead after the initial frame.

GCU continued to hold off the Owls in the second stanza as an Alba Herrero-Gomez three-ball with 4:47 left put the Lions ahead by a slim mark of 27-25. Unfortunately, that would be the final surplus of the contest for Georgian Court as SCSU soared to a 34-27 advantage, heading into intermission on a 9-2 surge.

Southern Connecticut would lead by as many as 13 points on three separate occasions in the third period, outscoring the Lions by a 24-18 mark in the session. The high-water mark would reach a game-high 25 points in the final period as the Owls topped GCU, 21-14, en route to the victory.

Jackie Beathea (Sr,-Annandale, Va.) led the SCSU charge with a double-double effort consisting of 19 points and a game-high 17 boards. Danielle Powell (Sr.-Middletown. N.Y.) added 17 points and seven rebounds while teammate Taylor McLaughlin (Jr.-Colchester, Conn.) came within a rebound (15 points, nine boards) in 24 minutes off the Owls' bench. Paige Decker (So.-Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) also achieved double-digits in the scoring column with her 12 points.

Berger, coming off her 25-point performance vs. the University of New Haven on December 20 (W, 86-74), poured in a game-best 24 points vs. SCSU, to go along with nine rebounds. Jada Atchison added 16 points for the Lions while Thompson snared a team-high 11 rebounds.

The Lions return home this Sunday with a 2:00 p.m. non-conference contest vs. Dowling College.