ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The University of North Georgia women's basketball team rallied from a seven-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Flagler, 69-66, on the road Saturday in Peach Belt Conference action.
 
The Nighthawks (9-3, 2-0 Peach Belt) had two players score in double figures, led by Livi Blackstock, who came off the bench to score a team-best 16 points. Emily Trushel tacked on a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Isabel Davenport added nine points and two steals.
 
North Georgia out-rebounded Flagler 44-40, led by Trushel's 10 boards. The Nighthawks also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and scored 15 second chance points.
 
North Georgia's defense held Flagler to only 35.3 percent shooting from the field. Sharale McCormick led the Saints with a game-high 22 points.
 
After falling behind 2-0, North Georgia went on a 5-0 run with 6:47 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Trushel, to take a 5-2 lead. Flagler then responded to tie things up at 13-13 heading into the second quarter. North Georgia relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 13 points.
 
Flagler then took a 34-20 lead before North Georgia responding by going on a 5-0 run, highlighted by a bucket from Trushel, to narrow its deficit to 34-25. The Nighthawks were unable to narrow the gap any further, but did not lose ground either and entered halftime with a 36-27 deficit.
 
After intermission, North Georgia cut its deficit to 46-39 before going on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Trushel, to trim its deficit to 46-45 with 4:35 to go in the third. The Nighthawks were unable to cut further into the deficit, but did not cede ground to Flagler either and entered the fourth quarter trailing by one, 53-52. North Georgia knocked down six three-pointers in the quarter to score 18 of its 25 total points.
 
Flagler kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 62-55 advantage before North Georgia went on a 7-0 run, finished off by Ansley Hall's three, to even the score at 62 all with 4:00 to go in the contest. The Nighthawks kept the rally going and took the lead for good on Blackstock's three with 1:24 left to play.
 
North Georgia returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 10 with a home league game against Georgia College & State University. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m. at Lynn Cottrell Arena in the UNG Convocation Center.