In a game that sent Furman to the line 29 times, it was only fitting that the best free-throw shooter in the Southern Conference hit the two that sealed the win for the Georgia Southern Lady Eagles.

Jamie Navarro sank her only two attempts of the game to put GSU up 53-50 with 54 seconds left in overtime as the Eagles held off the Lady Paladins 54-50 Monday in Hanner Fieldhouse.

“It was great because I was nervous,” said Navarro, a 90.2 percent free-throw shooter about her only trip to the line. “I had missed one in the last game (in Saturday’s 57-53 loss to Charleston), and I didn’t want to miss one again. It was like something was released. It felt awesome, and hopefully we’ll be able to pull of some more like that.”

Furman (5-12, 3-5 SoCon) didn’t capitalize on the next possession when GSU forward J’Lisia Ogburn forced Paladins center Lakyn Ledford to lose the ball out of bounds for the 21st FU turnover of the night.

The Paladins got another chance on an Eagle turnover with seven seconds to go in overtime, but after two missed shots, Janay Wilson pulled in a rebound and was fouled with one tick left.

Her free throw made it a done deal.

The Eagles (8-8, 3-4) trailed by seven after a 10-2 Furman run at the end of the first half made it 29-22 at the break.

The Paladins got 11 of their 29 first-half points at the line, attempting 19 foul shots to GSU’s five.

Ogburn, who sat out most of the first half in foul trouble with only two points, came to life in the second, scoring eight points in a quick 11-2 run that was capped off with a Meredyth Frye 3-pointer and handed the Eagles a 33-31 lead with 13:08 to go in regulation.

Ogburn led the Eagles with 16 points and four big blocked shots.

“I just wanted to come back and do my thing in the second half,” Ogburn said, “and that’s what I did. I think that was a confidence booster, letting us know that we can win close games, so I think we’re back on the right track now.”

The Eagles held the lead for much of the second half, but Furman finally got it back at the 4:53 mark on the strength of a Raegan Thompson 3 that made it 40-37.

The Paladins extended the lead to 43-39 before back-to-back Ogburn layups tied it again. A pair of Kendra Berry free throws with 53 seconds left put the FU lead at 45-43, but GSU guard Carolyn Whitney went the length of the court for a layup that would knot the score at 45-45 and send the game to its eventual overtime.

The win snapped a three-game SoCon losing streak for the Eagles.

“Any time it’s a two-game, three-game, four-game losing streak, just to get that first win is huge,” said GSU coach Rusty Cram. “You can relax, take a deep sigh of relief and go get about your business in the conference. We know we can play any of them.”

Sophomore Samantha Williams got her first start of the season, scoring the first four Georgia Southern points. She finished with six, while her six rebounds and four assists led the Eagles.

Ogburn’s 16 made her the only GSU scorer in double digits, while Whitney added nine and Frye finished the night with seven.

Scorers were led by Furman’s Lee Stephens, who netted 19 points. Ledford added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Furman shot 29.8 percent from the floor and made just 18 of its 29 free throws.

The Lady Eagles return to action Saturday when they travel to Wofford for a 3 p.m. tip.

NOTES: Georgia Southern senior forward Jessica Geiger was on a student trip to New York City with GSU student marketing and did not play. … The last time the Lady Eagles went to overtime was February 12, 2007 when they defeated Western Carolina 83-81 on the road in Cullowhee, N.C.

Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9408.