JACKSONVILLE, ALA. – The Coastal Carolina women's basketball team dropped a road contest 84-72 to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville, Ala. With the loss, the Chanticleers drop to 5-6 overall, while the Gamecocks improve to 4-6 on the season with the win.
 
Coastal was led by Deaja Richardson with a game-high 22 points with Arin Freeman and Makaila Cange reaching double-digit scoring with 17 and 12 points, respectively. Alancia Ramsey and Freeman finished with a team-high six rebounds each for the Chants.
 
Jacksonville State was led by Madison McCoy with a team-high 13 points, while getting help from Keira Griffin and Elsie Harris with 12 points each. Bre'Anna Rhodes grabbed a game-high eight rebounds as Jax State outrebounded CCU 47-28.
 
In the first period, Coastal rallied from a 7-2 deficit to take a 12-9 lead, highlighted by seven points by Freeman that included a three-point jumper from the wing. After a Gamecock basket, the Chanticleers increased their lead to 19-15 with a 7-4 run sparked by a layup by Zaria Hurston and capped off by an old-fashioned three-point play by Richardson. Coastal doubled up the host Jax State 6-3 to close the first quarter with a 25-18 lead as Richardson hit a three-pointer just as time expired.
 
However, the second period belonged to the Gamecocks as they opened with a 15-2 surge to take a 33-27 advantage with 4:53 left to play until the halftime intermission. The Chanticleers pulled to within 35-33 with a 6-2 spurt only to see Jacksonville State score the final 12 points of the second quarter to lead 47-33 at halftime.
 
The Gamecocks scored the first four points of the third quarter to lead 51-33 before the Chants narrowed the margin to 51-40 with a 7-0 run that included a three-point jump shot by Dalanna Carter. Jax State used a 9-2 run to lead increase its lead to 60-42 before Coastal closed the third period with a 4-2 spurt to trail 62-46, highlighted by a pair of free throws by Richardson.
 
With 10 minutes left to play in regulation, the two teams traded the first 15 points as Coastal's Cange filled the net from behind the three-point arc and then hit a layup as the Chanticleers trailed 69-54. The Chants ramped up the defense that forced six turnovers to trail 79-68 with Richardson hitting 5-of-5 free throws. With 58 seconds left on the game clock, Jax State finished 5-of-6 from the free throw line to pick up an 84-72 win over the Chanticleers.
 
Coastal Carolina will return to action at the Cherokee Invitational in Cherokee, N.C., on Dec. 20-21, as the Chants will open play with UT Chattanooga on Dec. 20 with a tip-off scheduled at 7 p.m. ET. If CCU wins, they will meet the winner of the Michigan State and Richmond contest on Dec. 21.
 
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.