ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Junior Amanda Stull (Rushville, Ind./Rushville Consolidated) scored the final seven points at the free-throw line to help the Coastal Carolina University women's basketball team seal a 53-43 victory over South Carolina State Tuesday, Dec. 16 at the S-H-M Memorial Center. The win moves the Chants to 7-3 on the season, snapping a two-game losing streak, while the Bulldogs drop to 2-5 on the year. 

 

Junior transfer Kendra Reynolds (South Bend, Ind./Riley (Olney Central J.C.)) saw action for the first time this season after sitting out the first nine games due to NCAA transfer regulations. Reynolds recorded her first career double-double in a Chanticleer uniform with a game-high 13 points and 11 rebounds, including 10 defensive boards.

 

Reynolds shed any idea of first-game jitters in the opening minute when she drove to the hoop for two points, spurring a 12-point Coastal Carolina run as they took an early 12-2 lead with 14:58 remaining in the half. South Carolina State cut the deficit to four points as Kristin Johnson found an open lane to the bucket at 22-18. A layup by junior Devin Rivers (Miami, Fla./Felix Varela) pushed the lead back to six for the Chants at 24-18, and it would stay that way until the break.

 

In the second frame, freshman Olivia Irick (Columbia, S.C./W.J. Keenan) hit a triple from downtown to put the Chants ahead by 11 at 44-33. Sophilia Hipps and teammate Kristin Johnson knocked down back-to-back triples and two free throws by LaTeia Brailey earned the next eight points for the Bulldogs, putting the score at 44-41, with 2:45 remaining.

 

Coastal Carolina held the Bulldogs at arm's length through most of the second half as sophomore Sydnei Moss (North Augusta, S.C./N. Augusta) went to the line and hit both her shots to stretch the lead back to five at 46-41, but the Bulldogs hit a quick two pointer, leaving the Chants with a slim 46-43 advantage with 1:57 remaining in the game.

 

After the Bulldogs missed an opportunity to cut the Chanticleers' lead to one point, Stull grabbed the rebound and was instantly fouled with 1:15 left on the clock. Stull hit one of two free throws moving the score to 47-43. Multiple missed opportunities by the Bulldogs forced SCSU to foul Stull on the next three Coastal Carolina possessions. Stull, an 80 percent free-throw shooter, capitalized on her six freebies to end the game with a 53-43 advantage for the Chants.

 

Stull had 12 points and was 8-of-10 at the line for the Chanticleers, while SCSU got nine points from three players, but were unable to get ahead of the Chants after the opening minute. Coastal Carolina shot 32.7 percent from the floor, while the Bulldogs shot 30 percent from the field. South Carolina State outrebounded the Chants 38-37, but the Bulldogs also managed to turn the ball over 26 times which led to 18 points for Coastal Carolina.

 

After three road games in an 11-day stretch, Coastal Carolina returns to Kimbel Arena Thursday, Dec. 18 when it hosts UNC Wilmington at 7 p.m.