Jan. 7, 2012

Final Stats

Final Stats

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - A near six-minute scoring drought coupled with a 17-0 UNC Asheville run in the second half gave the Coastal Carolina women's basketball team a deficit it would not be able to overcome as the Chanticleers fell 69-60 in Asheville on Saturday.

The loss, Coastal's first in Big South play and in 2012, sets the Chants back to 9-3 (2-1, Big South). The win improves UNC Asheville to 5-9 on the season and 1-2 in the Big South.

Sophomore guard Angelica Henry led four Chanticleers in double-figures with a career-high tying 17 points as Shatia Cole, Olivia Irick and Courtney Grambley each poured in 10. Asheville's Lindsey Thompson led all scorers with 18 points and Leah Wormack recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.

The visiting Chants opened the second half on a 9-6 run to expand their one-point halftime lead to four at 39-35 with 15:01 to play. The run featured a Kira Carter 3-pointer, a Cole layup and two Henry layups on back-to-back possessions.

However, Coastal did not score over the next 5:54 and Asheville took full advantage with a 17-0 run to take a commanding 13-point lead with eight minutes to play. The Bulldog's Leah Wormack scored the first seven points of the Asheville streak as she made three layups in the paint and sank a free throw. A pair of Lindsey Thompson treys bookended a Gentry Manley layup and Kelli Riles scored a fastbreak layup to cap the run.

As they had done in the previous two games, the Chants mounted a comeback scoring six unanswered over the ensuing 46 seconds. A Riles foul sent Grambley to the line where she hit both attempts to start the Coastal points streak. An 18-foot jumper by Taylor Epley and a six-footer by Olivia Irick cut the Asheville lead to seven at 52-45.

Three possessions later, Irick would sink her 14th three of the season to pull Coastal within six with 3:44 to play. Asheville then reeled off seven straight to put the score at 63-50 with 1:08 remaining. The Chants outscored UNCA 10-6 over the final minute to provide the final 69-60 score.

Coastal used its aggressive defensive pressure to hold Asheville to only three baskets through the first 11-plus minutes of first-half action as the Chanticleers built a 13-7 advantage. The Chants would use two free throws apiece from Grambley and AJ Jordan along with a trey by Henry to stretch the lead to 11 at 20-9 with 8:32 to play before intermission.

The Bulldogs countered with a 6-0 run, all coming at the foul line, to cut the Coastal lead to five with just under seven minutes to play. Henry slowed the Asheville momentum with a pair of free throws and Cole knocked down a long range bomb to push the Chants' lead back to 10. However, the Bulldogs put together a 14-5 run over the final five minutes of the half to cut the double-digit Chanticleer lead to one at 30-29 heading into the locker rooms.

The Bulldogs finished with a 40.7 shooting percentage to edge Coastal's 32.3 percent. The Chants outscored Asheville 27-10 off turnovers and 33-10 in bench points. Asheville won the battle in the paint with a 39-18 margin.

The Chants remain on the road for the second game of their road trip as they face Gardner-Webb on Monday, Jan. 9 in Boiling Springs, N.C. Tipoff against the Runnin' Bulldogs is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Asheville hosts Charleston Southern on Monday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m.

Up Next:
Coastal Carolina (9-3, 2-1 Big South) at Gardner-Webb (1-10, 0-2 Big South)
Monday, Jan. 9, 2012 | 7 p.m. | Boiling Springs, N.C. | Paul Porter Arena (3,500)

Media
TV: None
Radio: The Coastal Carolina - Gardner-Webb game will be broadcast live online at GoCCUSports.com with Ryan Borawski on the call.
Live Stats: Available via GWUSports.com
Video Stream: Available via BigSouthSports.com

Series Breakdown
Series: Coastal Trails 2-5
Streak: Loss 5
Last 10: 2-5
Last Meeting: Coastal Carolina and Gardner-Webb last met on Feb. 19, 2011, in Boiling Springs with the Runnin' Bulldogs prevailing with a 58-36 victory. Gardner-Webb shot an even 50 percent in the contest and forced 20 Chanticleers turnovers. Angelica Henry paced Coastal with eight points.