Box Score Nov. 14, 2014 Final Stats
CONWAY - AJ Jordan and
Ced Gibson scored 19 points apiece, and
Alexis Robinson pulled in 17 rebounds as the Coastal Carolina women's basketball team won its season opening game 64-48 against UNC Pembroke Friday evening in The HTC Center.
Coastal Carolina (1-0, 0-0) is now 23-18 all-time as a program in season-opening games. Furthermore, the Chanticleers have won each of their three home-openers in The HTC Center since they started playing in the arena in 2012.
Jordan's 19 points marks the ninth consecutive game dating back to last season that the senior guard has scored in double-digits. Jordan went 9-17 from the field, while grabbing seven rebounds and tallying three steals.
Gibson dished out a game-high four assists, grabbed six rebounds and added four steals to her final line in her Chanticleer debut. Robinson, also playing her first game in a Coastal uniform, added seven points to her game-leading rebound total.
UNC Pembroke held the advantage in the early going thanks in part to five turnovers by the Chants in the opening four minutes of the game.
The Braves put up four points and held the Chants scoreless until the 18:34 mark, when Gibson broke the ice for Coastal. Gibson then gave Coastal its first lead of the game just four minutes later after drawing the foul on a made layup, and completing the three-point play from the line to put the Chants up 11-10. Coastal would hold on to the lead for the remainder of the game.
Gibson's offensive efforts seemed to spark Coastal's defense, which limited UNCP to just two free throws from 16:55-11:25 of the first half. Phoenicia Lawson ended the Braves' drought with a mid-range jumper, cutting Coastal's lead to 14-12, but the Chants used a 22-14 run over the next 10 minutes to build a 10-point lead.
It appeared as if the Chants would take that lead into the locker room, but the Braves managed to sink two 3-pointers in the final 11 seconds of the opening half. Katelyn Mitchell hit the first trey, and a Coastal turnover gave UNCP the ball with just three second remaining. Ashley McCray then sunk a half-court shot off the inbounds pass before the buzzer to bring the Braves within four points at the half.
Coming out of the break, the Chants poured in 11 points and held UNCP scoreless for the first four and a half minutes. Coastal's defense would continue to limit the Braves' chances for the remainder of the half.
Leading 49-39 at the 13:09 mark, the Chants held UNCP off the board for next four minutes, while tacking on eight points of their own to give Coastal a 15-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining. Jordan and Stephanie Isaacs hit a series of jumpers in the game's closing minutes, as did Khadejah Wilkerson at 3:11 to give Coastal its largest lead of the night at 19 points.
As a team the Chants shot 37.7 percent from the floor, while holding UNCP to 27.4 percent. The Chants also proved to be the tougher team down low, racking up 28 points in the paint and receiving 15 points off second chances.
Coastal returns to action on Sunday to host Pfeiffer for a 2 pm tip at The HTC Center. Sunday's game will mark the first-ever meeting between the Chants and Falcons on the court.
