CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina women's basketball team will return to the road to open Sun Belt Conference play this weekend, as the Chanticleers will travel to Harrisonburg, Va., to battle with conference newcomer James Madison (Dec. 29) before embarking to Lafayette, La., to face Louisiana on Dec. 31. The tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET versus James Madison on Thursday, while CCU and Louisiana will start at 2 p.m. ET.
The Chanticleers are 5-6 on the season after falling to the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks last Wednesday. James Madison enters conference play at 10-2 and riding a seven-game winning streak, while Louisiana currently sits at 6-6 overall and will face Georgia State on Dec. 29.
LAST TIME OUT
Coastal fell to the top-ranked Gamecocks 102-39 to end its non-conference portion of the 2022-23 schedule. Sophomore guard
Arin Freeman scored a team-high 15 points to lead the Chanticleers in scoring, while USC's Ashlyn Watkins tallied 16 points and Aliyah Boston recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
HISTORY BETWEEN COASTAL AND JAMES MADISON
The two teams will be meeting for just the second time on Thursday, as Coastal trails in the all-time series to the Dukes at 1-0. The last time the two teams played, JMU claimed a 69-49 home win in December 2001.
HISTORY BETWEEN COASTAL AND LOUISIANA
The two teams will be meeting for just the seventh time on Saturday, as Coastal leads the all-time series with Louisiana at 4-2. The Chants are 3-1 versus the Ragin' Cajuns in SBC play. The two teams last played in February 2020 with the Chants winning 83-74.
ABOUT COASTAL
The Chants are averaging 70.5 points per game while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 29.8 from three-point range. Defensively, Coastal has allowed 66.3 points per game while its opponents are shooting 41.9 percent from the floor. The Chanticleers have won the rebounding battle at 404-390 this season.
Aja Blount leads the Chants in double-digit scoring with 16.5 points per game, while Freeman and
Anaya Barney are scoring 11.1 and 9.4 points, respectively. Freeman leads the Chants in assists and takeaways with 4.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Aside from scoring, Blount leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game with Freeman and Barney adding 5.1 and 3.7 boards, respectively.
ABOUT JAMES MADISON
As a team, the Dukes are averaging 71.8 points per contest while allowing 56.8 points per game. James Madison has outshot its opponents 42.5 percent to 34.3 percent from the floor. On the year, JMU has outrebounded its opponents by 12 boards per game at 43.8 to 31.5 rebounds per game.
Kiki Jefferson and Peyton McDaniel lead the team in scoring with 18.3 and 11.2 points per game, respectively, while Jamia Hazell and Kseniia Kozlova have chipped in with 8.5 points per contest each. Jefferson leads the team with 7.8 rebounds per game, while Claire Neff (4.8), McDaniel (4.5), and Kozlova (4.3) are grabbing more than four rebounds per game.
ABOUT LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns are averaging 54.3 points per contest while allowing 58.5 points per game. Louisiana has been outshot by its opponents 41.1 percent to 35.3 percent from the floor. On the year, UL has been outrebounded by its opponents 420-399 in the 12 games to date.
Tamera Johnson is the only Ragin' Cajun averaging double digits in scoring with 10.3 points per game, while Lanay Wheaton is just shy with 9.8 points per contest. Johnson is the top rebounder averaging seven boards per game, with Caira Wren averaging four rebounds per game.
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.
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