Jan. 11, 2011

Final Stats

CONWAY - Olivia Irick established a new career-high of 19 points, but the Coastal Carolina women's basketball team was unable to outlast Charleston Southern as the Chanticleers fell 60-53 in overtime at Kimbel Arena on Tuesday evening.

Charleston Southern's Lakethia Alston drove to the basket for a layup with just 11 ticks off the board in overtime to give the Buccaneers a 52-50 advantage. Coastal's Irick responded with the last of her career-high 19 points with 2:32 left in the extra session to put the Chants back in front by one. Charleston Southern would then get three consecutive points from Lydia Johnson to put Coastal away for good. The Buccaneers would hit five free-throws down the stretch to extend its lead to seven at the final buzzer.

Irick led all scorers in the contest with her 19 points with six field goals including three treys. It was the seventh consecutive double digit scoring outing for Irick and the tenth on the season. She now leads the team in total points with 147 on the year.

Kira Carter contributed her fifth double figure scoring performance of the season as she chipped in 13 points.

Charleston Southern was led in scoring by Alston's and Kelsey Wasmer's 15 points each.

Coastal Carolina's tough defensive pressure held Charleston Southern's Katie Tull, who ranks third in the nation averaging 3.6 made threes per game, 0-of-7 from beyond the arc. In addition, the Chants held the Buccaneers, who rank sixth in the NCAA averaging 8.5 deep jumpers per contest, to only two made three pointers.

Charleston Southern wasted little time getting on the board at the start of the second half, after two quick baskets from Tull and Kiki Rutledge the score was knotted at 29 all. The Chanticleers' Irick then responded with five points of her own to put the Chants back on top.

The Chanticleers would stay a basket ahead of the Buccaneers until Charleston Southern's Alston converted on a runner in the lane with 7:42 remaining to give the visitors their first lead since the 4:47 mark in the first half. Over the next five minutes of play, the teams would tie knot the score three times before Charleston Southern took a three point lead at 50-47 with 2:05 to play thanks to a layup by Tull and a free throw by Wasmer.

On the ensuing possession, the Chants were able to even the score at 50 after an errant three pointer from Carter clanked off the rim and out to Katie Ahaus who spotted up for a deep three from the top of the key and sank her second shot of the evening with 1:19 remaining.

After defensive stops on both ends of the floor, Charleston Southern's Helen Terry was stripped by Carter with three seconds to play. After a timeout by head coach Alan LeForce, Katie White missed a 10 foot jumper on the final shot of regulation to send the game into overtime.

With Coastal holding onto a slim 10-9 lead with just over 12 minutes to play in the first half, Irick sliced her way through two Charleston Southern defenders and connected on an underhanded shot as she was fouled. Irick missed the ensuing free throw, but the Chanticleers collected the loose ball. Angelica Henry then found Irick wide open for three making it a five point possession and pushing the Coastal lead to six at 15-9.

The two teams continued to battle on throughout the first period as Coastal was able to take as much as an eight point lead before Charleston would make a run of their own to retake a two point advantage. Coastal would finish the half on a 5-2 run to take a 29-25 advantage into the intermission.

The Chanticleers continue its home stand on Saturday, Jan. 15 as UNC Asheville makes its annual trip to Conway. The game is set tip-off at 2 p.m. and will be followed by the Coastal men's team taking on Presbyterian at 4:30 p.m.