CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern women's basketball returns home for the first time in nearly two weeks Monday evening when it faces Belmont Abbey at 6 p.m. inside Buccaneer Fieldhouse.
 
Game Details
Monday, November 29
Charleston Southern (0-4) vs. Belmont Abbey (3-2)
6 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * Buccaneer Fieldhouse * Live Stats * Watch
Game Notes: Charleston Southern
 
Last Time Out
Charleston Southern got scoring contributions from nine different players Friday afternoon, but Auburn's pressure proved too much for the Bucs in a 91-42 loss inside Auburn Arena.
 
Alyssia Faye had season-highs of 13 points and seven rebounds to lead the way for the Bucs. Janaia Fargo added a season-best 12 points off the bench. Three different Bucs had two assists each, while Fargo had a team-leading three steals.
 
New Year, New Look
Charleston Southern enters a new era of women's basketball, with Clarisse Garcia beginning her first season as head coach. In addition to Garcia, the entire coaching staff, consisting of Stephanie Stoglin-Reed, Ashley Jones and Jordan Kyles, all enters year one in the Lowcountry.
 
With a new staff comes a new system, and the Bucs have embraced a style of play that Garcia has described as "fast, fun and fierce." CSU will also feature five newcomers on its roster this season in freshmen Skylar Baltezegar, Jordan Rogers and Madison Adamson, and transfers Victoria Dames and Zaire Hicks.
 
Veteran Presence
CSU returns four of its five starters from last season, including nearly all of its offensive production from the 2020-21 team. Alyssia Faye was the Bucs' leading scorer and rebounder last season, ranking inside the top 15 in the Big South in both scoring and rebounding at 11.9 points and 7.1 boards per game.
 
Sharita Godfrey is also back for her senior season after finishing third on the team in scoring (9.6 points per game) and second in rebounding (5.3 rebounds per game), while leading the team in 3-point percentage at 44.0 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Janaia Fargo, Sha'Mya Leigh and Makenna Winans all spent time in the starting rotation last season, and all three are back this season and expected to play significant roles within the CSU lineup.
 
The starting five in CSU's season opener at Alabama and in their most recent game at Western Carolina consisted of two seniors (Godfrey, Faye), two juniors (Gittens, Leigh) and a freshman (Adamson). Godfrey, Gittens, Leigh and Adamson were joined by Skylar Baltezegar in the starting lineup against George Mason.
 
Have a Game
Alyssia Faye and Janaia Fargo each put together their best games of the season in the Bucs' last contest at Auburn.
 
Both Faye and Fargo eclipsed double-figures for the first time this season. Faye finished with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Fargo had 12 points and a career-high three steals against the Tigers. The duo accounted for 60 percent of the Bucs' scoring against Auburn.
 
Give Her Three
Sha'Mya Leigh hit a season-best three 3-pointers at Western Carolina. The three treys were the most by a Buccaneer player in any game this season.
 
Leigh currently leads the team with 1.7 made triples per game. She has also led the team in scoring in two of the Bucs' first three games this season.
 
Light it Up
Tori Gittens had a career-high 18 points and seven made field goals in Charleston Southern's home opener against George Mason. 11 of Gittens' 18 points came in the second half, while she also knocked down a pair of 3-pointers against the Patriots.
 
Gittens currently leads the team in scoring at 8.8 points per game and has scored in double-figures in each of the last two games.
 
Deadeye
Sharita Godfrey had a shooting percentage under 30 percent from beyond the arc prior to the 2020-21 season, but that changed quickly.
 
Godfrey emerged as the top 3-point weapon for the Buccaneers last season, making a career-best 37 3-pointers while shooting a team-leading 44.0 percent from long range.
 
Scouting Belmont Abbey
Belmont Abbey enters Monday's game at 3-2 overall and 1-0 in Conference Carolinas. The Crusaders were defeated by Lander in their last game, 95-68.
 
Jo Snow, Brittany Autry and Keyanna Spivey are all averaging double-figure scoring for Belmont Abbey, which reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight last season. Spivey leads the team in rebounding at 9.8 per game, while Kelli Thomas averages nine boards per game.
 
Series Breakdown
Monday's game is the first-ever meeting between the Bucs and Crusaders.
 
Charleston Southern is 12-1 all-time against opponents from Conference Carolinas.
 
Coming Up on the Schedule
Charleston Southern closes its two-game homestand Thursday against crosstown rival College of Charleston.
 
Charleston Southern's Next Five Games

• December 2 vs. College of Charleston
• December 5 at Florida State
• December 16 vs. Furman
• December 18 vs. South Alabama (in Atlanta – Georgia State Holiday Classic)
• December 19 at Georgia State (Georgia State Holiday Classic)

 
Follow the Bucs on Social Media
For more information and news, stay up-to-date with Buccaneer Women's Soccer via Twitter, Instagram and CSUSports.com.