CONWAY, S.C.-The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (4-2) sputtered on offense to the tune of 29 percent from the field as the Lady Chants lost their first home game of the season 62-52 to the hands of South Carolina State University (2-4) Dec. 13, at Conway, S.C. The Lady Bulldogs shot 42.8 percent and outrebounded Coastal 48-37.

Coastal got out to a six-point lead on a three-pointer by freshman Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) to make it 10-4 at 15:08. Coastal had the lead in the first half until a layup by Melaney Denson at 8:29 made it 16-15 SCSU. A 5-0 Lady Bulldog breakout gave SCSU a five-point gap and the Bulldogs led by seven at the half on a Diana Morency jumper with three seconds remaining.

An 8-0 run at the start of the second half gave Coastal at 36-34 lead with 12:55 left, but South Carolina State went on its own 8-0 run to get the lead back to six points at 42-36 on an Evena Morency layup. South Carolina State would lead the rest of the way and ice the game, hitting five of its last eight free throws.

Senior Nikki Reddick (Hartsville, S.C./Hartsville) led the Lady Chants with 17 points, but shot just 5-of-21 from the field. Senior Crystal Brown (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) added 11 points, while senior Cyndie Troutman (Hampton, Tenn./Walters State C.C.) had a team high six rebounds.

South Carolina State was led by Denson, who had 13 points. Evena Morency added 12 points and Nicole Rhem had 12 rebounds, all on the defensive end.

South Carolina State had 15 second-chance points, compared to three for Coastal and had five blocked shots.

The Lady Chants travel to Wilmington, N.C., Tues. Dec. 16, to face the University of North Carolina at Wilmington at 7 p.m.