Box Score March 5, 2010
Final Stats
CONWAY, S.C.-The Coastal Carolina University women's basketball team could not catch Gardner-Webb as they fell 74-68 on Friday, March 5 in Kimbel Arena. The Chanticleers fell to 15-12 on the season and 6-9 in the Big South Conference. The Bulldogs clinched their first Regular Season Championship, finishing 26-3 and a 15-1 league mark.
The teams exchanged baskets to open the game until the Bulldogs went on a 10-2 run over two minutes, taking a six-point lead with 16:01 in the first half, 12-6. The Chanticleers battled back within two as Sydnei Moss hit two free-throws, 18-16 at 11:02 in the half. The Bulldogs responded as the Chanticleers got cold in their shooting by going on a 20-9 run to end the half up 38-25.
The Chanticleers shot just 28 percent (7-for-25) from the field in the first half, as the Bulldogs were 52 percent (13-for-25) from the floor. However, Coastal missed just one free throw (11-for-12), going 91.7 percent and Gardner-Webb was 81.8 percent (9-for-11) at the stripe.
The Bulldogs continued to build upon their lead as they hit an 18-point margin, 29-47, with 16:20 remaining in the game. Coastal began to close the gap, while Gardner-Webb found itself in foul trouble. Sophomore Courtney Grambley came off the bench and made a three-point play with a lay-up and a free-throw with nine minutes into the half, starting a12-0 Chanticleer run that put the Chants within four, 56-52 with 7:09 remaining on the clock. Gardner-Webb's junior Courtney Epps drained a triple, whil Sandra Vaitkute hit two back-to-back lay-ins helping them take hold a double figure lead, 66-54 with 4:32 left on the clock. Coastal gave the visitors a scare as Amanda Stull's two free-throws started a 8-2 run that putting the Chants down, 71-66 with 47 seconds remaining in the game. Gardner-Webb used two free throws from Epps and a strong team defense to clinch the win.
Coastal shot a much better 46.7 percent (14-for-30) from the floor in the second half, finishing the game with 38.2 percent (21-for-55) in the game. Gardner-Webb tallied 51 percent (25-for-49) from the field in the game. The Bulldogs out rebounded the Chanticleers 36-31.
Junior Moss had a game-high 24 points, while senior Stull followed with 12. Devin Rivers had 10 points for the Chanticleers and led the team with eight rebounds. The Bulldogs had four players tally double-figures with Epps leading with 18. Vaitkute and Dominique Hudson and finished the game with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Margaret Roundtree followed with 14 points.
Coastal will end the regular season at home on Monday, March 8 as they celebrate Senior Night against Presbyterian at 7 p.m. Gardner-Webb will now wait as the rest of the conference finishes the regular season as they take on the No. 8 seed in the 2010 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Championship Tournament hosted by High Point University in High Point, N.C.
