CLEMSON, S.C. - Lakeitha Alston's 31 points and 10 rebounds led the Charleston Southern women's basketball team(6-2) to a stunning 82-77 upset of the ACC's Clemson Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson on Sunday afternoon.

I'm super proud of our team," said head coach Julie Goodenough. "They were so focused at the beginning of the game and our defensive intensity was at an all-time high level. We stayed in control in the first half, went in to halftime with the lead and then went into second half with same intensity. Clemson made a run, but our team stayed strong and executed our game plan. Offensively, we looked for layups and 3-pointers and were so intentional with that. If they drove in and couldn't put up a layup they kicked it back out to wide open shooters. I give a lot of credit to our defensive intensity as well. They were just ready to play today."

Fresh off of a lopsided 64-45 victory over cross-town rival the College of Charleston, the hot-shooting Buccaneers went 30-of-61 from the field to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field. Rachelle Coward and Anicia Dotson each put up 13 points, with Dotson knocking down three 3-pointers. Kiki Rutledge had four steals on the day and tied with Coward with a team-high four assists. Coward also led the team with two blocks.

"Lakeitha was just phenomenal for us today, as she has been all season," said Goodenough. "She's 5'9 and was holding her own against 6'4 Clemson players. She played so much bigger than her size today and put up some great points for us."

Shaniqua Pauldo led the Tigers with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Nikki Dixon, Chancie Dunn and Natiece Ford each added in 11. The Bucs were able to stymie Clemson's 3-point game, limiting the Tigers to just 1-of-11 for nine percent from beyond the arc. Though Clemson was able to out-rebound CSU 50-29, the Bucs forced the Tigers into 21 turnovers on the day.

The Buccaneers controlled the game from the start, as Terry and Dotson knocked down 3-pointers to help CSU jump out to an 8-1 lead. However, the Tigers fought back to cut their deficit down to one with six straight points before a layup by Ford put Clemson ahead by one four and half minutes into the contest. Though the Tigers would extend it to three on another layup by Ford, their lead was short-lived as the Buccaneers stormed back with back-to-back buckets from Alston and a trey from Dotson as they took a four-point lead with 13:10 to go in the first half.

Lindsay Mason put up a field goal and two points at the free-throw line for the Tigers as they came back to tie things up 19-19. A fast break layup by Coward once again put the Buccaneers in front and 3-pointer from Shay Jones stretched the CSU lead to four. Erin Bratcher hit consecutive 3-pointers to push the Bucs' advantage to seven, thought the Tigers cut into the lead at the free-throw line. Once again, the Bucs hit their shots from beyond the arc as Alston sunk a trey to give CSU its largest lead of the day at 38-29. Five points from Dunn brought the Tigers within four, but three points at the free-throw line from Alston and Jones assured the Bucs the 43-36 lead at halftime.

Alston put up the Bucs' first four points of the second half to take the CSU lead into double digits early one. A 12-2 scoring run for the Tigers tied things up at 49-49, but a quick jumper from Rutledge put the Bucs in front once again. The two teams traded free-throw shots as the Tigers came dangerously close to tying the game again and it took a fast break layup by Jones to keep CSU in front by three with half of the second half to play.

The Tigers' Ford tied the game for the third time with two points in the paint, but Bratcher hit the charity stripe to pick up a point put the Bucs in front 63-62. Coward sunk a 3-pointer with just under six to go, keeping the Bucs ahead. However, Pauldo put up two in the paint to give the Tigers the one-point lead with five minutes to play. Dotson hit a trey to take back the lead, but Clemson tied the game up for the fourth time on a layup from Dixon. The two teams would tie things up twice more in the final two and half minutes of the game, but it was the Buccaneers who once again took control as Dotson put up a layup to give the lead back to CSU. Alston then went 3-for-4 at the free-throw line in the final minutes to give CSU the 82-77 victory.

The win marks the first time in eleven meetings that the Bucs have defeated the Tigers. After taking a break for final exams, the Bucs will be back in action at the Buc Dome on December 16. The team will host UNC Wilmington in a special 11:30 a.m. tip off as part A.C. Corcoran Elementary School Day.