CONWAY – Junior guard
Caitlin Roche scored a career high 23 points and junior guard
DJ Williams added 19 points as Coastal Carolina pulled away in the second half for a 90-71 win over Memphis Sunday at the HTC Center. Guard
Torrie Cash also added 13 points as Coastal Carolina improved to 4-1 on the year.
Roche hit on 8-14 (57%) shots and 7-10 (70%) from 3-point range, helping Coastal shoot 48 percent for the game. Roche, who was three shy of the school record for 3-pointers in a game, scored her previous career high of 21 in Friday's win over Bowling Green. Coastal has now won six consecutive games at the HTC Center, including three this year.
Gazmyne Hendon led Memphis with 19 points and Taylor Barnes and Kiana Coomber added 14 apiece for the Tigers, who dropped to 2-4 on the season.
"Caitlin did a phenomenal job for us," said
Jaida Williams. "She just loves the game and she is a shooter. She hasn't seen a shot she doesn't like. I'm really proud of our student-athletes, but we have to work on getting a better start to our games."
Coastal again fell behind early and rallied. Memphis jumped out to a 12-3 lead, with Barnes scoring nine of those 12 points. The Chanticleers changed momentum with a pressure defense and climbed back to take the lead at 21-20 on junior center
Naheria Hamilton's layup at the start of the second quarter. Senior guard
Breelyn Blanding then gave her team the lead for good with a layup, making the score, 30-29.
Roche fueled the Coastal offense the rest of the half, scoring all 11 of her first-half points in the second quarter. She hit a 3-pointer to put Coastal up six at 42-36, and then Williams closed out the half with a short jumper, giving the Chanticleers a 44-36 lead at the break.
Coastal went on a 7-0 run early in the third quarter to get a 10-point lead, at 57-47. Coastal had its biggest lead with 1:34 remaining, when Branding made a pair of free throws to put the Chanticleers ahead, 88-68.
With the Thanksgiving Classic concluded the Chants return to the road with an away game at North Carolina Central on Dec. 1. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
