CONWAY, S.C. – After having its five-game winning streak snapped last week on the road, the Coastal Carolina women's basketball team will look to rebound from just its third loss of the season as the Chanticleers return home to welcome Sun Belt foes Georgia Southern on Thursday, Jan. 30, and Georgia State on Saturday, Feb. 1. The tip-off times for the two contests are 6 p.m. and 2 p.m. ET, respectively.
The Chanticleers and Eagles have met eight times on the hardwood with Georgia Southern holding a 3-5 lead in the series. CCU has a 5-2 advantage over Georgia State in the seven times the two teams have faced off.
On Thursday, Jan. 31, the Chants will wear special t-shirts to honor the passing of professional basketball player Kobe Bryant. Saturday's contest will be the teams' cancer awareness game in which the Chants will wear pink warm-up shirts, shoe laces, headbands, socks, wristbands in support of breast cancer research. Also, invited are local youth recreation centers and girls basketball teams with discounted prices being $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 12 and younger.
ABOUT COASTAL
Coastal enters the week with a 15-3 overall record and 5-2 mark in the Sun Belt, after dropping a highly-contested matchup to Arkansas State on the road last week.
The Chants are averaging 75.5 points per contest and allowing just 57.7 points per game overall, while in conference play, CCU is third in both scoring offense with 70.7 and scoring defense with 61.9 points per outing.
Senior guard
DJ Williams leads the Chanticleer offense with 16.5 points per game on the season, but has picked up her play in conference action averaging 20 points per game in Sun Belt action. Sophomore
Aja Blount is second on the team averaging 14.9 points per contest and 16.3 points per game in conference games.
COASTAL LAST TIME OUT
The Chanticleers fell 63-61 on a buzzer-beater on the road to Arkansas State last Saturday. CCU struggled in the opening two periods of the game shooting just seven percent (1-for-13) from three-point land and went into the intermission trailing by two at 27-25.
The Red Wolves opened the third quarter with a 10-3 run to increase their lead to 37-48 before pulling out in front by as much as 11 late in the period.
Senior center
Naheria Hamilton recorded her 23rd career and fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Chanticleers offensive attack. Williams struggled from the field scoring just seven points but recorded her 14th career double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
As time ticked down, A-State's Jireh Washington missed a layup in the paint in the closing seconds only to get the offensive rebound and put back basket as time expired to give the home team the two-point last second win.
SCOUTING GEORGIA SOUTHERN
The Eagles enter the week with a 6-12 overall record and a 3-4 conference ledger after picking up an 81-56 home victory over in-state foe Georgia State.
Georgia Southern is allowing 64.7 points per contest while scoring just 64.4 points per game on the year. In conference action, the Eagles' offense is averaging 67.1 while allowing 63.9 points per game.
The Eagles are led by Alexis brown and Tatum Barber, both averaging identical 11.1 points per contest.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN LAST TIME OUT
Georgia Southern broke open a two-point halftime game with a 30-point third quarter to pick up an 81-56 Sun Belt Conference home victory last time out versus Georgia State.
Barber hit seven of her nine shots from the floor, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc, en route to her game-high 21 points to lead the Eagles to the 25-point victory.
ABOUT GEORGIA STATE
The Panthers enter the week with a 4-14 overall record and 1-6 mark in the Sun Belt after falling 81-56 to Georgia Southern last Saturday.
GSU is allowing 70.2 points per game and averaging just 57.7 points per contest on the year while in Sun Belt action, the Panthers scoring offense sits at 60.6 points per game and the scoring defense is allowing 70.9 points per contest.
Georgia State is led by Taylor Hosendove, who is averaging 11.1 points per contest, while Jada Lewis and Taylor Henderson both in double digits at 10.7 and 10.4 points per game, respectively.
GEORGIA STATE LAST TIME OUT
Georgia State's seven-game winning streak against rival Georgia Southern was snapped last Saturday at Hanner Fieldhouse as the Eagles defeated the short-handed Panthers 81-56.
Lewis led Georgia State with 16 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
GSU will travel to Appalachian State on Jan. 30 in Boone, N.C. before taking on Coastal on Saturday, Feb. 1.
For complete coverage of CCU women's basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalWBB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com.
