Story Courtesy College of Charleston sports information
College of Charleston 79, Georgia Southern 66
CHARLESTON, SC - Marketta Talley scored a career-high five three pointers to lead the College of Charleston women’s basketball team to the 79-66 win over the Georgia Southern Eagles this afternoon in front of 677 fans at the John Kresse Arena.
Charleston improves to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the Southern Conference, while Georgia Southern drops to 1-4 and 0-1 in the league.
The Cougars and Eagles traded baskets for the first 11 minutes but Charleston, who led 15-13 with 11:34 left in the first half, went on a 12-3 run to increase its lead to 27-16 with just under eight minutes to go before intermission. Georgia Southern was able to close the gap and went into halftime trailing 40-33.
In the second half the Eagles were able to keep the deficit around 10 points and even pulled to within four with 6:03 left before a 12-5 run by the Cougars over the next five minutes gave Charleston a 75-64 cushion with just under a minute to play to seal the victory.
Charleston shot .448 from the field and .429 from the three-pint range, while GSU shot .366 from the field and .286 in three-pointers.
Talley led all scores with 21, while Jade Hughes followed with 16 points. Other Cougars in double figures were Erica Irick with 13, Nikki Williams with 12 and Melissa Chambers with 10. Hughes posted a career-high five rebounds and nine assists. Williams tied her career-high with nine boards, which led the team as well. Freshman Hughes connected on six-of-six free throws to bring her season total to 22-of-23 from the charity stripe
Georgia Southern was led by Nicole Newton, who tied her career-high with 18 points. Ashley Melson, who made who first career start, scored a career-high 16 points. Newton pulled down 10 rebounds, as well as Christa Waterman, to pace the squad.
Story Courtesy UNC Greensboro sports information
UNC Greensboro 72, West Virginia 70
GREENSBORO, NC ? Jasmine Byrd converted two free throws in the final 49 seconds of the game to lift the UNC Greensboro women’s basketball team to a 72-70 victory over West Virginia Saturday afternoon at Fleming Gym. The victory marked the first ever win for the Spartans over a BIG EAST Conference opponent.
Sophomore guard Kristen Boone scored a team-leading 16 points in her season debut for the Spartans. The Upper Marlboro, MD native also had a team-best six steals and five assists. Byrd, the junior guard from Dumfries, VA, tossed in 13 points (11 in the first half), while senior forward Ashley Current and junior forward Irene Otamiri scored 12 and 10 points respectively.
All-American Meg Bulger scored a game-high 23 points for West Virginia (3-2) on 8-of-14 shooting. Olayinka Sanni and Chakhia Cole each contributed 17 points in the loss.
With the game tied 70-70 with 49 ticks showing on the clock, Byrd drained one of two free throws to put UNCG ahead. After a missed jumper by UNCG’s Meghan Chamberlain, the Mountaineers had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead but Chakhia Cole was called for traveling with 10 seconds left. After a time out by UNCG, Byrd was fouled and made the first of two free throws for a 72-70 lead. Byrd missed the next free throw and WVU corralled the rebound and headed down court but was unable to get a shot off in the final eight seconds of the game as UNCG picked up one of its biggest wins in program history.
“I was real proud of our total 40 minute effort this afternoon, “ UNCG head coach Lynne Agee said. “I was impressed with our composure and aggressiveness. We knew we couldn’t back down at any point and we didn’t. Our team asserted themselves all game long. This certainly goes down as one of the biggest wins here at UNCG.”
UNCG (2-3) took a 37-23 lead into the second half and was able to maintain a double digit lead until Sanni’s layup got West Virginia to within nine points, 50-41, at the 11:56 mark. UNCG still led by nine, 66-57, after a pair of free throws by Boone with 4:50 showing on the clock, when WVU went on a 13-4 run to square the game, 70-70. Bulger fueled the comeback with eight of the 13 points. But the visitors were never able to grab the lead as Byrd secured the win for the Spartans.
West Virginia took its largest lead of the afternoon, 8-4, in the opening six minutes of the game, before the Spartans rattled off a 25-3 run over the next 8:54 to take their largest advantage of the game, 29-11, with 5:16 left until halftime. The Spartans were led by their pre-season all-conference backcourt as Boone scored nine points and Byrd added eight points in the run.
Yelena Leuchanka got West Virginia to within eight points, 29-21, with a layup at the 2:25 mark, but Boone, the freshman of the year in the Southern Conference last season, converted an old fashioned 3-point play and Byrd drilled a 3-pointer to put UNCG up 37-23 at the break.
“When coach put me into the game I was terrified,” said Boone, who had missed the previous four games after suffering an injury to her right hand in the first day of practice back in October. “But it all came back to me after a few minutes on the court.”
Story Courtesy Elon sports information
NC State 73, Elon 43
RALEIGH, N.C. - The North Carolina State Wolfpack had four players score in double figures to lead the team to a 73-43 women's basketball victory over the Elon Phoenix in the opening game of the NC State Tournament from Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
The Wolfpack (3-3) scored the game's opening basket when Khadijah Whittington hit a jumper 24 seconds into the contest and the Pack never looked back, leading throughout.
The lead ballooned to 11-0 before the Phoenix (2-3) got on the board when Kitara McMoore drained the second of two free throws.
NC State led 42-21 at the break.
The two teams traded baskets over the first two minutes of the second stanza before the Wolfpack expanded its advantage to 68-41 with 7:11 to play. Neither team was able to score again until Ashley Key hit a three to put State ahead 71-41 with 2:02 left. Both teams would add two points to provide the final margin.
NC State's Tiffany Stansbury led all scorers with 19 points, while Billie McDowell (16), Marquetta Dickens (11) and Key (11) all scored in double figures for the Pack. Sasha Reaves pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for the Wolfpack.
Elon was paced by McMoore's nine points and Robyn Shipley's eight markers. Nikko King grabbed seven rebounds for the Phoenix.
The Wolfpack held advantages in rebounds (45-26), assists (24-9), blocks (7-4) and steals (10-4).
Elon will play in the consolation game of the tournament at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon against Southern Miss. NC State advances to the championship game against Liberty which will tip at 3:15 p.m.
Story Courtesy Furman sports information
Coastal Carolina 71, Furman 67
CONWAY, SC - The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers outdid Furman 23-12 on the offensive boards and defeated the Lady Paladins 71-67 in women's basketball action Saturday at Kimbel Arena.
The Chants outscored Furman 18-6 on second chance points in the first period alone and took a 33-23 scoring advantage into halftime. The Lady Paladins managed seven offensive boards in the second half and held CCU to five, outscoring Coastal 44-38, but came up short by four points, unable to overcome the 10-point deficit at the break.
With the game tied at 64 and 1:08 left in the game, CCU's Alisha Dill sank a pair of free throws to give the Chants a two-point lead. Just 50 seconds later the score had not changed, and the Lady Paladins were forced to foul. CCU rose to the occasion, making five-of-six free shots in the final 15 seconds to secure the win and improve to 3-1 on the year.
Sophomore center Jessica Lange scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Furman offense, while Tommi Paris contributed 13 and Chrissy Phelps scored 10, all in the second period. Megan Scott led Furman in rebounding, with all five on the defensive end, while Lange topped the Lady Paladins with three offensive boards. The Chants forced 27 Lady Paladin turnovers, nine by point guard Tommi Paris.
Both teams were six-for-14 (.429) from three point range, with CCU guard Alisha Dill sinking three treys en route to 21 points for the game. Calisha Yates added 15 and claimed a team-best nine rebounds with seven offensive boards, while Kim Turner contributed 12 points and claimed four steals.
With the loss Furman falls to 2-3 on the year.
Story Courtesy Appalachian State sports information
Georgetown 59, Appalachian State 44
WASHINGTON, DC ? Junior Danielle Edwards (Winston-Salem, N.C.) scored a season-high 12 points as the Appalachian State University women’s basketball team fell to Georgetown University, 59-44, Saturday, Dec. 3 at McDonough Arena.
With the loss the Mountaineers fall to 1-4 on the season, while the Hoyas improve to 4-2 with the win. Appalachian tied a season-low with 17 turnovers, while forcing 23 by the home team. ASU continued its solid defense, recording 12 steals on the night.
Edwards, in just her second game back this season, added two steals and a game-high nine rebounds. Senior Jocelyn Wyatt (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and freshman Greteya Kelley (Suwanee, Ga.) added six points apiece for the Apps. Freshman LaVonna Hailey (Charlotte, N.C.) added a team-high three steals.
Bethany LeSueur led the Hoyas with a game-high 19 points. She added four assists. Kristin Heidloff recorded a game-high eight assists, adding 10 points, while Kate Carlin chipped in 10 points.
The Mountaineers led 16-13 with just over eight and a half minutes remaining in the first half, before the Hoyas ended the half on a 19-3 run to take a 32-19 lead into halftime.
The first points of the second half weren’t scored until the LeSueur hit a layup for the Hoyas at the 16:36 mark. Carlin added a jumper 30 seconds later to extend GU’s lead to 36-19 with just over 16 minutes to play in the game.
Down 51-36 with 4:10 to play, the Mountaineers started to comeback, pulling as close as 11 at 51-39. Appalachian didn’t come closer than nine points in the final four minutes, as Georgetown went on to defeat Appalachian, 59-44.
Story Courtesy Western Carolina sports information
UNC Asheville 77, Western Carolina 66
Cullowhee, NC - Midway through the second half, Western Carolina broke a 47-all tie with a 15-2 run over a five minute period to grab its largest lead of the game at 13 points. However, the Lady Catamounts went cold from the floor over the final 6:55, missing seven shots and six free throws allowing the UNC Asheville Bulldogs to claw back and force overtime with a 13-0 run. In the extra session, UNCA scored nine-consecutive points, seven of which came from the free throw line, to pull out the 77-66 win Saturday night in the Ramsey Center.
The loss was Western's fifth-straight to open the 2005-06 season, and third-in-a-row against mountain-rival, UNCA, marking the first, three-game winning streak in the all-time series by the Bulldogs. It also snapped Western's three-game home winning streak, which dated back to January of last season.
Western (0-5) was led by sophomore guard Ashley Pellom, who tied her career-high with 10 points as the only Lady Catamount to score in double figures. Her classmate, Chevon Keith, just missed her first double-double of the year, scoring nine and boarding 11, including four on the offensive end. Junior Erin May and sophomore Monique Dawson each scored eight in the loss, with senior Teyawna Hardy finishing with seven in her first action of the season.
After missing their first two opportunities from the floor in the early moments of the game, Western settled into a rhythm in their home opener, taking a 10-4 lead over the Bulldogs at the 14:24 mark of the first half. The closely contested half continued, with Western leading the majority, aside from a minute and a half stint where the Bulldogs grabbed a three-point advantage, 27-24. WCU countered with a five-point spurt to reclaim the lead and carried that advantage into the break, 33-32.
Midway through the second half, sophomore Jessika Johnson, who tied a career-high with three blocked shots, capped the Lady Cats 15-2 spurt with a lay-up in the lane, putting Western on top 62-49 with just under seven minutes to play. But from that point on, empty trips including the aforementioned 0-for-7 showing from the floor, 0-for-6 from the charity stripe, and four additional turnovers allowed UNCA to tie the game. WCU had one additional opportunity to win in regulation. Holding for the last shot under 20 seconds to play, the Lady Catamounts put the ball in the hands of All-SoCon selection, Keith, but her 3-pointer at the buzzer was just off target.
In overtime, WCU junior Erin May hit two free throws to put WCU in front, 64-62. Barton then scored on a three-point play to put the Bulldogs in front for good, 65-64. The score remained 65-64 for the next three minutes until UNCA's Amanda Elder took a pass from Kristal Hood and scored on a three-point play to push the lead to 68-64 with 1:30 left. The Bulldogs then went 9-of-10 from the free throw line in the final minute of play to earn the victory. All told, UNCA compiled a 28-to-4 run over the final seven minutes of regulation and overtime to pick up their fourth win of the season.
Stacy Shepard led Asheville with 19 points and 15 rebounds, while Ashton Barton contributed 17 points. Hood, plagued by foul trouble, finished with 14 points, with Brittany Hendley added 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Story Courtesy Davidson sports information
UTSA 75, Davidson 69
HOUSTON, TX ? University of Texas at San Antonio hit 11 three-pointers, six in the second half, and placed three players in double-figures in points as the Davidson women's basketball team fell 75-69 to the Roadrunners in its final game of the Gene Hackerman Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 3. The Wildcats went 0-2 in the Invitational and dropped to 1-4 on the season. UTSA moved to 5-3 with the win.
UTSA used the three-ball to take a 20-12 advantage with 10:26 to go in the first half. Nicole Dunson buried two of the Roadrunners four threes in first nine minutes of play.
Ana Oliveira pushed the Roadrunners lead out to 11 points, 31-20, when she banked in a layup off a bounce pass from Vivian Ewalefo at the 4:02 mark. Oliveira scored seven of her 12 points in the first half.
The Wildcats kept themselves in the game by working the charity stripe. Davidson hit 4-of-6 in the closing minutes of the first half and finished the first stanza 9-for-12. Junior Tia Washington (Charlotte, N.C.) also netted her first three of the season and Davidson went into halftime down 33-27.
Davidson turned up the offensive and defensive intensity coming out of the locker room after halftime, led by senior Janell Crayton (Atlanta, Ga.) and junior Brynn Kelly (Spokane, Wash). Both post players combined to score 13 points to open the second half and gave the Wildcats their first lead at 14:36, 42-41, of the contest since the 19:04 mark at the start of the game. Crayton scored 11 of her team-high 16 points in the second half.
Defensively, the Wildcats forced six of the Roadrunners 21 total turnovers in the opening minutes of the second half, while Davidson came up with four of its 12 steals on the night in that stretch.
UTSA though, used the three-point shot again in the second half to regain the lead and eventually the win. A little over a six minute stretch after Davidson had taken its biggest lead of the night, 46-42, on a layup by freshman Kelly Gassie (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) with 12:20 go, UTSA nailed five from behind the arc, including two each by Terrie Davis and Nicole Dunson, and took a 67-58 lead with 2:16 go in the game.
The Wildcats drew to within three points with 45 seconds left on the clock when junior Jessica Mitchelll (Wilkesboro, N.C.) converted a four-point play after she was fouled hitting a three-pointer. Mitchell sank the free throw and Davidson trailed 70-67.
That was as close as Davidson would get as UTSA made 7-of-8 at the charity stripe in the last 41 seconds of play to take 75-69 win.
Kelly and Mitchell each hit double-figures in points for Davidson, who shot 36.1 percent from the floor. The Wildcats put home 20-of-24 free throws, including an 11-for-12 showing in the second half. Washington had a nice all-around game with nine points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 38 minutes.
The Roadrunners finished with a 52.0 percent shooting percentage from the field, including a 61.1 percent mark from three-land. UTSA was 11-for-18 from behind the arc. Dunson paced all scorers with 17 points, getting 15 of those points on threes (5-for-8).