Charleston Southern University Athletics
5-11, 0-7BSC
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UNC Asheville
2-16, 0-7BSC
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNC Asheville | 16 | 43 | 59 |
| Charleston Southern | 28 | 45 | 73 |
Lady Bucs take control early in 73-59 victory over UNC Asheville
1/24/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern seized control of the game early and held off a late UNC Asheville charge as the Lady Bucs defeated the visiting Lady Bulldogs on Thursday evening inside the Buc Dome, 73-59.
DJ Fowler scored 20 points, while Lakeitha Alston had 18 points and six rebounds as head coach Fred Applin recorded his first Big South Conference coaching victory on the sidelines of the Lady Bucs (6-11, 1-7 Big South).
"It feels good," commented Applin on winning his first Big South Conference game from the CSU sidelines. "We needed to come out and make a statement and boxing out was a big key for us in our game today. We played hard for about 38 minutes in the contest, shot the ball well and had some players step up at the right time."
Charleston Southern built a 21 point lead with 15:13 to play as Shay Jones connected on a three-pointer, but strong second half performances by Asheville's (2-17, 0-8 Big South) Paige Love (18 points) and Kelli Riles (20 points, 18 rebounds) helped the Bulldogs bring the game back to within seven with 4:02 to play.
Erin Bratcher ended the Bulldogs run with a three-pointer and connected on another one in the final minute to help the Lady Bucs pull away as Charleston Southern closed out the 73-59 victory.
"I said in the locker room the game was tied 0-0 and we had to compete for another 20 minutes in the second half," said Applin when asked about the early run after the halftime break. "It's a challenge to keep a team down and Asheville is really good. We had to compete and fight for this one tonight."
Jones and Bratcher also finished in double-digits for the Lady Bucs as Jones scored 14, while Bratcher connected on four three-pointers and had five rebounds in finishing with 12 points. CSU shot 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the floor, while the Lady Bucs held Asheville to 29.7 percent (19-of-64) in the game.
Fowler and Whitney Collins opened up the scoring for the Lady Bucs, hitting a pair of layups as CSU built an early lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the half. Kelli Riles scored the first basket for UNC Asheville with a layup of her own at the 17:14 mark to cut the lead down to 4-2 and Jeannie Buckner followed with a free throw to pull the Bulldogs within one.
After Alston and Brittany Gwyn traded baskets to put the score at 7-5 with 14:11 to play in the first half, CSU went on an 11-0 run with Fowler and Jones scoring four points apiece during the run to give CSU the 18-5 lead with 7:50 to play. Asheville missed nine shots and gave the ball up five times during the run before Rachel McGirt ended the scoreless streak with 6:08 to put the score at 18-7.
Grace Blaylock followed with a pair of free throws to bring Asheville back to within single digits, and following a Jones jumper, Buckner connected on a three-pointer and Kelli Riles went in for the layup to pull the Bulldogs within six at 20-14 with 2:15 to play in the half.
CSU scored the next five points to extend the lead back into double-digits as Fowler converted the three-point play and Zhaquondalee' Greer sent the teams into the break with a steal and layup with eight ticks left on the clock as Charleston Southern held the 28-16 halftime lead.
Fowler scored on CSU's opening possession in the second half as the Lady Bucs went on a 7-1 run in going up 18 with 18:30 to play following a jumper by Lakeitha Alston. The basket by the senior forward moved her into sixth all-time in the Lady Bucs career scoring list, passing Joy Taylor (1996-2000, 1,265 points) in the process.
"I'm very happy she (Alston) passed her in the scoring list," said Applin on Alston surpassing Taylor's career mark. "Her birthday was yesterday, so this was a good present for her. She's worked hard all season doing what we've needed her to do and she deserves it."
The Lady Bucs extended their lead to a game-high 21 points less than three minutes later as Jones connected on three-pointer with 15:13 to play, giving CSU the 42-21 lead.
Gentry Manley hit four consecutive free throws and Love followed with a pair of her own as The Bulldogs began a run to bring the game back within striking distance.
Love, a freshman guard from North Wilkesboro, N.C., went on a personal 8-0 run against the Lady Bucs to bring the game back to within 11 points at 44-33 with 9:58 to play in the contest and followed a three-pointer by Gwyn with four more points to bring the Lady Bulldogs back to within nine points at 54-45 with 6:39 to play.
CSU's lead crept back up to 13 following baskets in the paint by both Jones and Alston, but Riles and Love went on a 10-4 run against the Lady Bucs with finishing the stretch with a three-point play with 4:02 to on the clock to pull UNC Asheville within seven points at 62-55.
Bratcher ended the run with a three-pointer from the left corner and following a pair of free throws by Riles, connected on her fourth trey of the night to push the CSU lead back to 14 with 1:00 remaining in the game.
Fowler closed out the game from the free throw line making both of her attempts as the Lady Bucs recorded their first Big South victory of the season.
Riles led UNC Asheville with 20 points and 18 rebounds in the game, adding a blocked shot in 37 minutes action, while Love scored all 18 of her points in the second half for the Lady Bulldogs as Asheville went 16-of-23 from the free throw line in the second half during their comeback attempt.
"They're two very good basketball players and you can't hold those two down for long," commented Applin on Asheville's duo of Riles and Love. "She (Riles) is one of the best rebounders I've seen in a long time and Love is a great shooter, you just have to stay after them."
Charleston Southern held the narrow 41-40 rebounding edge in the game, while Asheville forced 20 Lady Bucs turnovers in the contest, leading to a 21-11 edge on points off turnovers.
"It'll be a tough one again on Saturday," said Applin on the upcoming game against Gardner-Webb. "We've got to guard their guards and have to box out down low. It's going to come down to defense."
Charleston Southern remains at home as the Lady Bucs welcome Gardner-Webb to the Buc Dome on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff between CSU and the Runnin' Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m. Asheville continues on the road as the Lady Bulldogs travel to Conway, S.C. on Saturday to take on Coastal Carolina, with tipoff also at 2 p.m.
