CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina women's basketball team will host Troy and South Alabama in pair of key Sun Belt matchups this week. In the first of two games, CCU will host the Trojans (Feb. 13) in a battle for the top spot in the conference before welcoming USA (Feb. 15) to the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and 2 p.m. ET, respectively.
The Chanticleers trail the overall series with Troy 4-2, while South Alabama has a slim 4-3 advantage in the series with CCU.
ABOUT COASTAL
Coastal enters the week with a 19-3 overall record and the second-best record in the conference at 9-2 to go along with the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 ranking of No. 19 for the second week in a row.
CCU is averaging 75.5 points per contest just behind the Sun Belt leader Troy. On the season, the Chants have the top defensive unit allowing just 57.4 points per game.
As a team, Coastal is shooting 43.1 percent from the field while hitting 32.9 percent of its three-point attempts.
Senior guard
DJ Williams leads the Chants offense with 17.2 points per game with reserve forward
Aja Blount second on the team with 13.9 points per contest. Senior center
Naheria Hamilton leads the team with 9.7 rebounds per game has picked up her game in conference play with five-consecutive double-doubles in the last five contests.
COASTAL LAST TIME OUT
Coastal wrapped up the longest road trip of the season with an 80-62 victory over UT Arlington on Saturday, Feb. 8. Williams scored a team-high 20 points while grabbing 10 boards to lead CCU to its 19th win of the season. It was the 14th double-double for the senior guard's career, while Hamilton has tallied 27 career double-doubles.
The Chanticleers got 17 points from seniors
Torrie Cash and
Caitlin Roche in the third quarter as CCU opened up the lead to 61-44 at the end of the quarter.
SCOUTING TROY
The Trojans enter the week on a seven-game winning streak and atop the Sun Belt standings at 19-3 overall and 10-1 mark in conference play.
Troy is averaging a league-best 79.5 points per game while allowing just 66.5 points per contest.
Jasmine Robinson and Japonica James lead the Trojans offense with 12.4 points per game and 11.9 points per contest, respectively.
Troy is shooting 37 percent from the floor overall this season, including going 28.1 percent from behind the arc.
TROY LAST TIME OUT
On Feb. 8, the Trojans earned a hard-fought 67-64 victory over Louisiana on the road to remain atop the conference standings. The contest went back-and-forth from the opening tip with neither team able to pull away from the other. The game was tied six times and saw 10 lead changes, eight of those in the fourth quarter alone.
Alexus Dye recorded 18 points in 26 minutes of action to lead Troy over the Ragin' Cajuns while Harriet Winchester was 3-of-4 from three-point land.
SCOUTING SOUTH ALABAMA
South Alabama enters the week with a 12-11 overall record, a 7-4 mark in the Sun Belt and will play at Appalachian State before visiting the Chanticleers
Shaforia Kines leads a trio of Jags in double-digit scoring with 14.8 points per contest while Savannah Jones is adding 14.3 points per game and Antoinette Lewis is chipping in 13.7 points per game.
As a team, USA enters the week shooting 39.2 percent from the floor and 31.1 percent from behind the three-point line to average 69.2 points per contest while allowing 67 points per game.
SOUTH ALABAMA LAST TIME OUT
The Jaguars picked up a 73-39 win over ULM on Feb. 8.
Lewis recorded a game-high 18 points and 11 boards and was aided by Kennedi Centers and Kines 12 points as South Alabama shot 48.4 percent from the floor and only turned the ball over nine times in the outing. The Jaguars held the Warhawks without a field goal for over six minutes in the opening quarter to jump to a 17-11 advantage at the end of the period.
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.
