CONWAY, S.C. –The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (9-5, 0-3 Big South) forced the University of North Carolina at Asheville (10-6, 1-2 Big South) into 26 turnovers, but could not overcome a 29-of-36 performance at the free-throw line by the Bulldogs, falling to UNCA 68-65 Jan. 21 in Conway, S.C.

The first half had eight ties and seven lead changes as UNCA led 33-32 at the break. Coastal took a three-point lead at 13:12 on a three from senior Amber Rose (Bloomington Springs, Tenn./Upperman). Coastal led by five (16-11) at 9:28 on a jumper from senior Jasmine Tyler (Jacksonville, Fla./Okaloosa C.C.) and led by as much as seven after senior Kim Turner’s (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) jumper at 8:46. Asheville then preceded to go on a 15-3 run over the next 3:25, which was capped by a Kristal Hood jumper, giving Asheville a 26-21 lead with 3:57 left. Hood had six points during UNCA’s run. Coastal would quickly answer, tying the game at 26 at 2:45 on a layup from Turner. The lead was then never more than one the rest of the half, as a Katie Baldwin layup with two seconds left gave the Bulldogs the 33-32 halftime lead.

Turner led the Lady Chants in the first half with 10 points and seven rebounds. Tyler came off the bench for seven points, as Coastal shot 38.7 percent from the field. Asheville was led by Hood’s 11 points, going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Asheville shot 40 percent from the field and went 13-of-17 from the line. The Bulldogs also outrebounded the Lady Chants 25-14 in the first stanza.

The lead went back-and-forth to start the second half until a 17-4 run by the Lady Chants made it 53-41 CCU at 10:22. With the Bulldogs holding a 37-36 lead, junior Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) hit a three give the Lady Chants the lead. A Rose three at 14:32 made it 46-39 Coastal at 12:18 and the lead was double digits (51-41) at 10:41 on a free throw from senior Demaria Young (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.). A pair of Tyler field goals gave Coastal two separate 12-point lead, but Asheville would cut it to 55-50 at 6:60 on a Stacy Shepard layup. Junior Vanessa Laug (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) tipped in a missed free throw to make it 57-50, but Ashton Barton hit a three and three consecutive layups from the Bulldogs, the last by Amanda Elder, gave UNCA a 59-57 advantage with 4:02 left. Young’s three at 3:41 gave Coastal its last lead of the game (60-59). Asheville went on a 6-0 run, which was capped by two Hood free throws at 2:07. Rose hit a three at 1:56 and a Turner jumper at 1:10 tied the game at 65. On the next possession, Hood was fouled by sophomore C.J. Ware(Decatur, Ga./Lakeside) and made both free throws. Coastal then got the ball, but turned it over back to the Bulldogs. CCU quickly fouled Hood, who made 1-of-2 from the line. Coastal had a look at a three as time expired, but Rose’s attempt hit the backboard and rattled off the rim.

Rose led Coastal with 13 points, going 3-of-6 from three-point range. She now has scored in double figures in her last nine contests. Turner added 12 points and nine rebounds, while Tyler was Coastal’s third player in double figures with 11 points. For Asheville, Hood had 18 points, going 14-of-16 from the free-throw line. Barton added 17 points, while Baldwin had eight points and eight rebounds.

Coastal shot 42.6 percent from the field and went 6-of-12 from three-point range. Asheville was 45.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded CCU 40-27.

Coastal had three players foul out, Dill, Young and junior Calisha Yates(Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.). Two more players ended the game with four fouls.

Coastal will host Birmingham-Southern College Monday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m., in Kimbel Arena. The game can be heard on THE TEAM 93.9 FM in Myrtle Beach. UNCA will face Charleston Southern University in North Charleston, S.C., the same night at 7 p.m.

NOTES: Dill had six assists on the night and now has four games with six or more assists… Coastal had a seven-game home winning streak snapped... Coastal now leads the season series 23-18 over Asheville, but UNCA has won the last four games… The game ended with 11 ties and 15 lead changes.