Charleston Southern University Athletics
8-14, 3-10
Gardner-Webb
11-12, 4-8
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston Southern | 27 | 28 | 55 |
| Gardner-Webb | 23 | 25 | 48 |
2/9/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - DJ Fowler scored a game high 19 points and added five steals in the contest as Charleston Southern avenged an earlier season defeat at home to Gardner-Webb with a 55-48 victory at Paul Porter Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Erin Bratcher and Lakeitha Alston were also in double-digits with 14 points apiece for the Lady Bucs (8-14, 3-10 Big South) as Charleston Southern recorded their second road conference win in a row. Anicia Dotson led the way with seven rebounds and added a pair of free throws late to seal the road win.
Bratcher opened the scoring in the contest for the Lady Bucs, connecting on a jumper on CSU's opening possession as Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb battled early in the contest. Candace Brown and Lana Doran answered with baskets for the Runnin' Bulldogs on their next two possessions and Fowler drove in for the layup to keep the score tied at 4-all with 17:12 to play in the first half.
Four minutes later, following three-pointers by Bratcher and Fowler, Jessica Heilig knotted up the game with a layup, putting the score at 10-all. Fowler and Alston followed with back-to-back treys as the Lady Bucs used a 12-4 run in building the 16-10 lead with 11:35 to play in the opening 20 minutes.
Gardner-Webb ground their way back into the game over the next five minutes, using a 10-0 run with Olivia Parker scoring four points, while Catrina Green, Doran and Brown all connected on shots inside the paint to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 20-16 lead with 6:26 on the clock.
Fowler scored four in a row to knot the game up at 20-all with 3:23 to play, and following a pair of Mayhana Dunovant free throws, Bratcher connected on her second three-pointer of the half to give CSU the lead for the remainder of the first half.
Fowler and Dotson both converted jump shots in the final 90 seconds of the first half, while Brown connected on one of two free throw attempts to give the Lady Bucs the 27-23 halftime lead.
The Lady Bucs opened the second half advancing their lead to six at 29-23 early in the second half, but Brown answered with a layup to keep the Runnin' Bulldogs in reach.
Charleston Southern extended their lead to seven points twice over the following minutes, with Bratcher connecting on her third trey of the evening with 17:06 to play, giving CSU the 32-25 lead. Alston followed a pair of Heilig free throws two minutes later with a layup to give the Lady Bucs the 34-27 advantage.
Gardner-Webb brought the game back to within one point at 37-36 with eight minutes to play as Heilig made her first free throw attempt. Her second attempt bounced out to keep the Lady Bucs in the drivers' seat in the contest as Fowler, Zhaquondalee' Greer and Lakeitha Alston all drove in for layups to extend the CSU lead back out to five at 43-38 with 5:35 remaining in the game.
The Lady Bucs lead stretched back out to six with 3:02 on the clock as Alston and Bratcher both scored in the paint, giving CSU the 49-43 lead.
Brown brought the game back to within four at 49-45 with 1:56 to play on a layup, but CSU was able to Brown scored the final basket of the evening for Gardner-Webb with 56 ticks left on the clock driving in for the layup, to put the score at 53-48.
CSU closed out the game from the free throw line in recording the 55-48 victory.
The Lady Bucs are back in action next weekend as Charleston Southern returns home for their final three-game home stand featuring games against Presbyterian, Coastal Carolina and Campbell.
