Game 4

Coastal Carolina (2-1) vs. Furman (2-2)

Date: Saturday, Dec. 3

Time: 2 p.m.

Place: Kimbel Arena, Conway, S.C.

Series: Furman leads 14-1

TV/Radio: None

Live Stats: www.GoCCUSports.com

Coastal Returns Home to Host Southern Conference Foe Furman

The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (2-1) looks to rebounds from its 75-51 loss to UNC Wilmington with a game against Southern Conference foe Furman University (2-2) Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m., in Kimbel Arena. The home game is the beginning of a stretch of seven of eight games in the Myrtle Beach/Conway area for the Lady Chants.

Scouting Furman

Furman is coming off a 82-55 loss to Clemson Nov. 30. Chrissy Phelps led the Lady Paladins with 10 points while Megan Scott and Melynda Gant had six rebounds apiece. Furman has wins this season over Kennesaw State (98-95) and Alaska Anchorage (74-54). Phelps leads the team with 12.8 points per game and has 11 assists in four games. The Lady Paladins are also hitting a healthy 77.2 percent from the free throw line.

Furman is coached by Sam Dixon (Wooster ’79), who has a 54-36 record in his fourth year in Greenville.

Series vs. Furman

Furman holds a 14-1 lead in the all-time season series. This series gets restarted after being stagnant since 2002-03. The Lady Paladins won that contest 61-56 in Greenville. Coastal picked up its only win against Furman in the 1999-2000 season 69-54.

A Tale of Two Halves

In Coastal’s 75-51 loss to UNC Wilmington Nov. 29, the Lady Chants had a tale of two halves. In the first half, CCU shot 50 percent from the field, went 4-of-9 from three-point range and had seven steals to the Seahawks’ four. Junior Calisha Yates (Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.) had 12 first-half points on 5-of-8 shooting. However, Coastal shot only 23.5 percent in the second half, was outscored 43-22, went only 2-of-9 from three-point range and allowed 26 poitns in the paint by UNCW.

Rose Earns Career Highs vs. UNCW

Senior Amber Rose (Bloomington Springs, Tenn./Upperman) set one career high and tied another against UNC Wilmington Nov. 29. The guard had a career high seven rebounds in the 75-51 loss. Her former career high was six at Elon Feb. 9, 2003 and vs. Appalachian State Dec. 2, 2004. She also tied a career high with four steals and added four assists.

Chants Creating Turnovers

For the first three games, Coastal has forced its opponent into more turnovers than CCU. Against UNC Wilmington, the Lady Chants forced 25 turnovers. The Lady Chants’ defense is averaging 27.3 turnovers a game and have a +8.7 turnover margin.

Yates Collects Double-Double in Second Career Game at CCU

Junior Calisha Yates (Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.) had team highs of 16 points and 11 rebounds in Coastal’s 88-45 win over Southern Virginia Nov. 25. Of Yates’ 11 rebounds, 10 of those came on the offensive end. Yates opened her career with 10 second-half points in a 57-42 win over Campbell.

CCU Dominates Specialty Stats vs. SVU

Coastal Carolina defeated Southern Virginia 88-45 and had impressive edges in most of the specialty stats. The Lady Chants outscored SVU 52-18 in the paint. They had 41 points off of Lady Knight turnovers and had 19 second-chance points. The Coastal bench also outscored Southern Virginia’s bench 39-2.

Coastal Improves in Season Openers with Win over Campbell

Coastal Carolina improved to 7-2 in season openers under head coach Alan LeForce with its 57-42 win over Campbell Nov. 22. In its first season opener on the road since 1997-98, Coastal went 13-of-17 from the free-throw line and forced the Lady Camels into 28 turnovers as the Lady Chants led by as many as 16 points in the win. Coastal also has won seven of its last eight games against Campbell.

Tyler Finds Form in Southern Virginia Win

Senior Jasmine Tyler (Jacksonville, Fla./Okaloosa C.C.) went 7-of-11 from the field for 15 points in Coastal’s 88-45 win over Southern Virginia Nov. 25. The senior also was 1-of-3 from three-point range, had six rebounds and dished out three assists. Tyler is second on the team with 9.3 points per game.

Coastal Collects Caroms in SVU Win

Coastal had 52 rebounds in the 88-45 win over Southern Virginia. It is the first time a Coastal team has had 50 or more rebounds in a game since Nov. 28, 2003 in a 65-55 win over Wofford.

De-Fense, De-Fense

Coastal held Campbell to 42 points Nov. 22 in its 15-point win. That mark was just two off the lowest point output Campbell has had at home. The Lady Chants held the Camels to 37 percent from the field and just 46 shot attempts. Coastal outrebounded Campbell 40-32, led by senior Demaria Young’s (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.) nine.

Young Chairwoman of the Boards

Senior Demaria Young (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.), playing in the post for most of the game despite being 5-8, was one off her career high as she had nine rebounds in the 57-42 win over Campbell Nov. 22. Young had eight first-half rebounds, three offensive, and added four points in the win.

Turner Steady in Campbell Win

Senior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) played only 21 mintues in the 57-42 win over Campbell, but she ended up with a game-high 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals. It was the 17th time Turner has scored in double figures in her CCU career, as she has 368 career points.

Dill Stuffs Stat Sheet

While junior Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) had only five points in the 57-42 win over Campbell, she was big in every other statistical category. Dill had four rebounds, three offensive, a game-high six assists, three blocked shots and two steals. The three blocks were a career high, as she had only five blocks in her first two seasons at Coastal.

New Face on the Bench

Coastal has a new coach for the 2005-06 season and she is no stranger to the Myrtle Beach area. Shameka Montgomery (UNC Wilmington ’03) was the conference Player of the Year in 1999 at North Myrtle Beach High School and was a nominee for Miss South Carolina Basketball. Montgomery went to UNC Wilmington, where she scored 1,139 points and grabbed 724 rebounds in her four-year career. She came to Coastal after playing overseas in Sweden in 2004-05.

Chanticleers Picked Sixth in the Big South

The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Big South Conference annual preseason poll, announced at the League’s annual Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon in Charlotte, N.C.

Coastal earned 72 points, including one first-place vote, to earn the sixth spot. Liberty was picked to win its ninth straight regular-season title, earning 189 points and 14 first-place votes. High Point was not far behind with 181 points and nine first-place votes. UNC Asheville was picked third with 163 votes and two first-place votes. Radford was picked fourth with 112 points, followed by Birmingham-Southern (95 points), Coastal, Charleston Southern (69 points) and Winthrop (55 points).

Turner Named to the Big South Preseason All-Conference Team

Senior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) was selected to the League’s Preseason All-Conference Team, it was announced at the League’s annual Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon in Charlotte, N.C.

Turner, a 6-0 forward, averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds in 26 games last season. She was a Second Team All-Big South selection in 2004-05 and was fourth in the conference in scoring and sixth in the League in rebounding. Turner had three double-doubles, including a 22-point, 15-rebound performance against Birmingham-Southern March 2. The forward also led the team with 32 blocked shots and had 55 steals, which was second on the team.

Turner was joined on the All-Big South Preseason Team by Preseason Player of the Year Katie O’Dell of High Point, Kristal Hood of UNC Asheville, Stacey Anthony of Birmingham-Southern, Allyson Fasnacht of Liberty and Corrie Fertitta of Radford.

Head Coach Alan LeForce

Coastal head coach Alan LeForce (Cumberland (Ky.) ’57) is starting his ninth season as the Lady Chanticleers’ mentor. He has a 109-118 record at CCU and a 349-298 overall record in 23 seasons as a head coach. LeForce is the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in CCU history and is the only coach to win 100 games in both Division I men’s and women’s basketball.

New Faces for the Chants

Coastal will have three newcomers in 2005-06. Sophomore Joanna Pekonen (Lappeenranta, Finland/Lafayette) redshirted due to NCAA transfer rules last season. She had two rebounds in the Campbell win. Junior Calisha Yates (Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.) started the Campbell game and had 10 second-half points. Freshman Kairsten Nunn (Bowie, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) had three points and two assists in the win over the Crusaders. Freshman Elizabeth Weaver (Unicoi, Tenn./Unicoi County) would be the fourth newcomer, but she is currently out with a shoulder injury.

Dill a Key from the Charity Stripe

Junior Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) looks to continue her form at the free-throw line that she had in 2004-05. Dill was 52-of-63 (.825) from the charity stripe last season, including going 6-of-6 in the opener against Anderson. Dill would have been second in the conference in free-throw percentage if she had enough attempts.

Rose Back for Fifth Year

Senior Amber Rose (Bloomington Springs, Tenn./Upperman) returns for her fifth year at Coastal. Rose missed her first season due to a medical redshirt, but has scored 263 points and grabbed 104 rebounds the last three seasons.

Big South Stats

Coastal leads the Big South Conference in scoring offense, scoring defense, scoring margin and in field goal percentage. The Lady Chants also are second in rebounding margin. Junior Calisha Yates (Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.) is tied for fifth in the conference in scoring (13.7 ppg). Sophomore C.J. Ware (Decatur, Ga./Lakeside) is tied for second in the League in steals (3.67 spg).

Ware Looks to Crack Starting Rotation

Sophomore C.J. Ware (Decatur, Ga./Lakeside) started nine of the last 12 games of the 2004-05 season and is penciled in as the starting point guard this season. Last year, Ware averaged 2.0 points a game in Big South contests and was 13-of-17 from the free-throw line.

Coastal Part of Carolinas Women’s Challenge

Coastal Carolina will be part of the Carolinas Women’s Challenge Dec. 20, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. The challenge, which coincides with the Holiday Invitational High School Girls Basketball Tournament, pits the Lady Chants against the College of Charleston at 5 p.m. The University of North Carolina-Vanderbilt University tilt follows that game. For more information on the holiday tournament, visit www.beachballclassic.com.

Radio Broadcasts

The Coastal Carolina women’s baskeball team will have at least 12 games on radio this season, tipping off with Nov. 22 game against Campbell. All Coastal women’s basketball radio broadcasts are on "THE TEAM" 93.9 FM in Myrtle Beach. All games also will be available on Coastal Carolina’s athletic website at www.GoCCUSports.com.

CCU Signs Five Student-Athletes to National Letters-of-Intent

The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball program has signed five student-athletes to National Letters-of-Intent, head coach Alan LeForce announced Nov. 9.

"Without question, this is the best recruiting class we have assembled in the history of our program," LeForce said. "I know this will put some pressure on them to perform, but as a whole, it has to rank as one of the best classes in the history of the Big South."

The following is a list of the student-athletes coming to Coastal Carolina in 2006-07.

Name Pos. Ht. Hometown

Lauren Grochowski F 5-11 Naperville, Ill.

Lacey Lyons F 5-11 Beverly Hills, Fla.

Devin Rivers C 6-1 Miami, Fla.

Amanda Stull G 5-9 Rushville, Ind.

Lori Whitaker G 5-9 Bloomington, Ind.

Game Day Central

All the Coastal women’s basketball games this season will have a Game Day Central link on www.GoCCUSports.com, which will feature roster, schedules and stats for both teams as well as links to any live audio or live stats. Just click on the G under the women’s basketball schedule for access to the Game Day Central.

Up Next

Coastal will take two weeks off for finals and return to the court Saturday, Dec. 17, at seventh-ranked North Carolina. Game time is at 2 p.m., and the game can be heard on THE TEAM 93.9 FM with the pregame show starting at 1:50 p.m.