NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - A double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds from fifth-year senior Javyn Nicholson and a season-low 29 percent shooting effort from Pittsburgh helped the Georgia women's basketball team defeat the Panthers, 65-59, Wednesday in the first game of the Sun Coast Challenge.

Georgia improves to 8-3 on the season and will face Ball State this Thursday at noon.

Pittsburgh - a team that averages over 70 points per game - was held to a 20-of-66 clip from the field, including a 6-of-21 mark from 3-point range. Georgia also out rebounded the Panthers, 48-37, in a game that featured 12 lead changes.

In addition to Nicholson, Zoesha Smith scored 13 points off of 5-for-8 shooting, while redshirt-freshman Stefanie Ingram scored 11 points in her third career start.

Georgia jumped out to a 7-0 lead, holding Ptt without a basket over the first three minutes of the game. The Panthers answered with a 12-3 run to to take the lead in the first. The Lady Bulldogs then went over five minutes without a basket as Pitt led, 15-14, at the first break.

Ingram nailed a 3-pointer and and Taniyah Thompson scored a two-point basket to give Georgia a 19-15 advantage in the second period. Pitt countered with a 9-0 run to lead, 24-19, before Georgia answered for the 31-30 halftime advantage.

Pitt used an 11-0 run in the third quarter to erase what was once a 46-38 advantage. Down 49-46, Smith halted the Panther rally as Georgia trailed just 49-48 at the end of the third quarter.

Georgia then outscored the Panthers by a 17-10 margin in the fourth quarter to put the final touches on the 65-59 victory.