Bucs Set for Tilt with Golden Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Looking to tie the program’s single-season wins mark, the Charleston Southern women’s basketball team will take on Minnesota in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational on Friday evening.  The No. 7 Bucs and the No. 2 Golden Gophers will meet in a 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) match up at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.  The game will be available for a fee on GopherSports.com. 

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SERIES HISTORY
Friday’s match up will be the first-ever meeting between the Buccaneers and the Golden Gophers.  It will also be Charleston Southern’s first game against a Big Ten opponent, though they have previously matched up against other major conferences like the ACC, SEC and Big East.

BUCS IN THE BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT
CSU earned it’s first BSC tournament win since the 2001-02 season with their 57-53 victory over Campbell last week.  The victory also marked their first-ever win vs. the Lady Camels - the only Big South team they had never beaten.  The Bucs put up a tough fight vs. top-ranked Liberty, staying even with the Flames before eventually falling 72-52. 

THAT WAS A BIG ONE
The Buccaneers earned their first-ever win over a major program earlier this season when they defeated the ACC’s Clemson 82-77.  Lakeitha Alston paced the Bucs with a double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds, while Rachelle Coward and Anicia Dotson each put up 13 points.  The Buccaneers shot an impressive 49.2 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc, putting up 10 three-pointers on the day . 

COWARD EARNS BIG SOUTH HONORS
After leading the Buccaneers all season long, Rachelle Coward was honored by the Big South at the annual postseason awards banquet.  Coward was named to the 2012 Big South All-Conference Second team, and was honored as the Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  Coward, who boasts a 3.75 GPA and averages 18.0 ppg, was also named to the All-Academic team.

ALSTON NOTCHES 1,000th POINT
Lakeitha Alston scored her 1,000th career point in the second half of CSU’s quarterfinal match up vs. Campbell.  The junior forward entered the contest with 990 career points and finished out the tournament with 1,014.  She is the 14th women’s basketball player in CSU history to reach that mark and currently ranks 13th in career scoring with another season to go. 

YOU KNOW YOU’RE LOOKIN’ AT A WINNER
Head coach Julie Goodenough and the Bucs are on their way to one of the most impressive seasons in CSU history, and have assured the fifth winning season in program history.   Two of the five have come under Goodenough, who guided the team to a 17-14 record in 2009-10.  Their 17 wins are the second most in program history as well and leave them with the opportunity to move into a tie for first place with a win this weekend.   The best season in the CSU record books came in 1998-99 when Fred Francello led the Bucs to an 18-10 record.

BUCS IN THE WBI
The 2012 season marks the second time in which the Bucs have appeared in the Women’s Basketball Invitational tournament.  The Bucs faced top-seeded Appalachian State in 2010, suffering a 62-47 loss to the Mountaineers in the first round.