CONWAY, S.C. – Senior forward Aja Blount scored 16 points and grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds as Coastal Carolina cruised to an easy victory over East Tennessee State University, 55-41, Sunday afternoon at the HTC Center, improving the Chants' early-season record to 6-0. It is the best start for the Chanticleers since 2007-08 when they opened the season 7-0.
 
Blount was one of three Chanticleers in double figures, despite the team's second-lowest scoring output of the season. Junior guard Blayre Shultz added 12 points and senior guard Tyra Brown had 10. Blount's rebounding total put her at 506 rebounds for her career. Earlier this season the 5-11 power player became the 18th player in CCU history to reach 1,000 points.
 
"Aja is a heck of a player and she's fun to watch," said Coastal head coach Jaida Williams, whose team also defeated UNC Greensboro Friday, 53-41, in the Coastal Carolina Thanksgiving Classic. "Our corps of post players is strong and we want to play inside-out. That's what we do."
 
Blount, along with senior forward Janae Camp, who had nine rebounds, lifted the Chanticleers to a sizable 55-41 advantage on the boards. Freshman guard Arin Freeman also chipped in with eight rebounds. Courtney Moore led ETSU with nine points, but the Buccaneers slipped to 1-7 with its fourth straight loss.
 
After trading points in the early-going, Coastal took the lead for good as Blount had a couple of inside buckets that keyed a 9-0 run, putting the Chants in front at 12-2. Coastal used its inside muscle to secure its advantage through the first two periods, out-rebounding ETSU 29-14 and getting 13 points on second chances. Coastal led 25-16 at the half with Blount netting seven points and 11 rebounds.
 
When Shultz hit her fourth three-pointer of the afternoon to start the final period, Coastal had its largest lead of the game at 46-26. From there, Amaya Adams led the Buccaneers on a 10-0 run, but Blount and Freeman combined to hit five free throws in the final minutes for CCU to put the game out of reach.
 
While the Chanticleers got 26 of their points in the paint, the CCU guards fiercely protected the perimeter, holding ESTU to 0-of-19 from beyond the arch until mid-way through the final quarter. The Buccaneers finished just 3-of-27 on three-pointers, while Coastal made five three-pointers. Coastal finished 20-of-52 from the field (39 percent) and made 10-of-14 free throws (71 percent), with Blount making eight of her 10 attempts.
 
In the other Thanksgiving Classic contest at the HTC Center, Gardner-Webb outlasted UNC Greensboro, 65-63. Coastal will continue its home stand by hosting Wofford at 4 p.m. Saturday.
 
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 www.GoCCUSports.com.