Charleston Southern University Athletics
2-0
Southern Wesleyan
1-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Wesleyan | 31 | 21 | 52 |
| Charleston Southern | 40 | 44 | 84 |
Lady Bucs top Warriors in Applin's debut at Buc Dome
11/14/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - All five CSU starters scored in double figures, led by Rachelle Coward's 17 points, as the Lady Bucs gave head coach Fred Applin his first coaching win inside Buccaneer Field House on Wednesday evening as the Lady Bucs topped visiting Southern Wesleyan, 84-52.
Charleston Southern improves to 2-0 in the Applin coaching era on the sidelines of the Lady Bucs with the win as CSU shot 45.6 percent (31-of-68) from the floor in the victory. Southern Wesleyan (1-3) was led by Ashley Cooper's double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
"I think it was awesome, getting this first win here at the Buc Dome," commented Applin following the victory. "It was a great game against good competition. Southern Wesleyan kept the game close at half, but I challenged our team to come out and play smarter defense in the second half. We had some people trying to gamble, but we battled on the boards and got the win."
Coward, the reigning Big South Player of the Week was unable to get her shot going in the first half and struggled from behind the arc in the victory, but contributed with six assists, five rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals in 34 minutes playing time for the Lady Bucs in the win.
After turning the ball over 29 times in their first game this past weekend against UNC Greensboro and 10 more times in the first half against the Warriors, CSU protected the ball in the second half with only two giveaways as the Lady Bucs led by as many as 35 points in the second half in pulling away with the win.
"One of the things I challenged our team at half time is that we don't always have to shoot threes," said Applin about CSU's first half shooting struggles from outside. "They started to look for their teammates and really played a balanced game with the whole team getting involved on the floor tonight."
All nine CSU players who stepped on the court in the game scored for the Lady Bucs, with Erin Bratcher hitting five three-pointers for 15 points, while DJ Fowler (13 points, five assists), Lakeitha Alston (13 points, seven rebounds) and Whitney Collins (10 points) all joined Coward with double-digits in the scoring column in the game.
Southern Wesleyan and Charleston Southern traded shots in the opening minutes as DJ Fowler opened the scoring with a steal and layup, while Audra Cranston followed with a three-pointer for the guests. Ashley Cooper followed with four points and Caitlyn Wyatt added a jumper in the paint as the Warriors held the 9-8 advantage less than four minutes into the game.
Charleston Southern with 17-0 run with Erin Bratcher hitting one of her three first half three-pointers, while Lakeitha Alston and Fowler also hit from behind the arc during the stretch. Whitney Collins capped off the run with the old-fashioned three-point play as CSU went up 25-9 with 11:05 to play in the first half.
Cooper continued to rally the Warriors back, scoring a game-high 15 points in the first half as well as pulling down seven rebounds as Southern Wesleyan brought the game back to within eight points at 32-24 following a Lauren Johnson three-pointer.
Rachelle Coward hit her lone trey in the first half to put the lead back to double-digits at 38-26 as the reigning Big South Player of the Week facilitated the offense over the first 20 minutes with five assists in addition to her six points. Fowler led the Lady Bucs with 10 points in the half as CSU shot 51.9 percent from the floor as a team.
Zhaquondalee Greer hit her first collegiate basket inside the friendly confines of the Buc Dome in the final minute of the half to put the score at 40-28 with 58 ticks on the clock, but Southern Wesleyan scored the final three points heading into the break as Cooper scored the old-fashioned three-point play, converting the layup and free throw to send the teams into the locker rooms with CSU leading 40-31.
Southern Wesleyan cut the lead all the way down to within four at 47-43 with 15:45 on the clock in the second half as Cooper and Johnson combined for the first 12 Warriors points in the period, but Charleston Southern used a 7-0 run capped by a layup by Shay Jones to put the lead back in double-digits at 54-43.
The lead reached 20 with 5:57 to play as Coward drilled a three-pointer off the assist from Fowler and reached 30 less than three minutes later as Collins connected on a short hook shot inside the lane with 3:35 on the clock to put the score at 77-47.
CSU closed out the half on a 30-9 run, taking their largest lead at 84-49 following Monique Maximilien's jumper with 1:29 remaining in the game, while Audra Cranston answered with a three-pointer for the game's final points as CSU won their 2012-2013 home opener, 84-52.
Johnson was in double-digits for the Warriors with 11 points and five rebounds, while Cranston connected on three three-pointers for SWU in the loss.
"N.C. State is a very good team," said Applin on next week's road opponent. "We prepared for them in this game. We'll have to be smart in our decision-making. We'll enjoy the win tonight and get back to preparing for them tomorrow."
Charleston Southern heads back on the road for the first two games against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents this season as the Lady Bucs travel to Raleigh, N.C. to take on North Carolina State on Tuesday, November 20th. Tipoff for the game between the Lady Bucs and the Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum is set for 7 p.m.
