CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina women's basketball team will travel to Cherokee, N.C., to compete in the Cherokee Invitational on Wednesday, Dec. 20 to Thursday, Dec. 21. The Chanticleers will join UT Chattanooga, Richmond, and Michigan State for the 2023 event.


CHEROKEE INVITATIONAL
The Cherokee Invitational is a one of a kind women's basketball event featuring 4 NCAA D1 women's basketball teams and 48 elite high school girls' basketball teams on the campus of Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. This will be the Chanticleers first time competing in the event.
 
Wednesday Dec. 20, 2023
Session 1 - UT-Chattanooga vs Coastal Carolina - 7pm
Session 2 - Richmond vs Michigan St. - Approx. 45 minutes after the conclusion of Session 1
Thursday Dec. 21, 2023
Consolation (Session 3) - Loser Session 1 vs Loser Session 2 - 7pm
Championship (Session 4) - Winner Session 1 vs Winner Session 2 - Approx. 45 minutes after the conclusion of Session 3
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Chants fell 84-72 to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks last weekend. Deaja Richardson and Arin Freeman led Coastal with 22 and 17 points, respectively, while Makaila Cange added 12 points. Alancia Ramsey and Freeman were the top rebounders for Coastal having grabbed six boards each.
 
HISTORY BETWEEN COASTAL AND UT CHATTANOOGA
Coastal Carolina and UTC will be meeting for the fourth time dating back to November 1999. CCU trails in the all-time series at 1-2 with the Mocs picking up a 70-39 win in Chattanooga, Tenn., in the last meeting.
 
HISTORY BETWEEN COASTAL AND RICHMOND
Coastal Carolina and the Richmond Spiders will be meeting for just the second time with the only previous meeting coming in Conway, S.C., in December 2019. The Chants trail in the all-time series at 1-0 as Richmond defeated Coastal 69-67 in the last meeting. Both teams would have to win or lose for them to meet on the hardwood.


HISTORY BETWEEN COASTAL AND MICHIGAN STATE
This could be the first ever meeting between Coastal Carolina and the Spartans. Both teams would have to win or lose for them to meet on the hardwood.

ABOUT COASTAL
Coastal Carolina enters the matchup 5-6 on the year. The Chants are averaging 66.4 points per game while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from three-point range. Defensively, Coastal has allowed 72.1 points per game, while opponents have a 42.3 shooting percentage from the floor and 33.8 percentage from behind the three-point arc. The Chanticleers have outrebounded their opponents 439-434.
 
Coastal is paced by Richardson and Cange who average 18.6 and 13.1 points per game, respectively, while Freeman (10.9) is averaging just over 10 points per contest. Ramsey has averaged 7.2 points per contest and leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game. Cange has grabbed 78 boards for a 7.1 rebounds per game average.
 
ABOUT UT CHATTANOOGA
UT Chattanooga enters the weekend with a 11-1 overall record and have won nine games straight. As a team, UTC is averaging 65.9 points per contest while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from three-point range. Defensively, the Mocs have allowed just 53.2 points per contest and its opponents to shoot 38.0 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from behind the arch.
 
Jada Guinn is the team's leading scorer with 18.0 points per game while Raven Thompson (14.3) is scoring just over 14 points per contest. Chattanooga's top rebounder is Thompson with 6.6 boards per game with Addie Porter having grabbed 6.0 rebounds per game.
 
ABOUT RICHMOND
The Spiders enter the weekend with a 9-2 overall record and are on a three-game winning streak. As a team, Richmond is averaging 77.5 points per contest while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 39.2 percent from three-point range. Defensively, UR has allowed 58.7 points per contest and its opponents to shoot 35.2 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from behind the arch. The Spiders have won the rebound battle 399-395.
 
Maggie Doogan is the team's leading scorer with 18.5 points per game while Addie Budnik (11.1), Rachel Ullstrom (10.5), and Grace Townsend (10.4) are scoring in double digits. Richmond's top rebounder is Doogan with 5.3 boards per game.
 
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State enters the weekend with a 8-2 overall record. As a team, the Spartans are averaging 91.6 points per contest while shooting 50.5 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from three-point range. Defensively, Michigan State has allowed 61.7 points per contest and its opponents to shoot 38.5 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from behind the arch.
 
Moira Joiner is the team's leading scorer with 16.4 points per game while DeeDee Hagemann (14.1), Julia Ayrault (12.4), and Abbey Kimball (10.2) are scoring over 10 points per contest. Michigan State's top rebounder is Ayrault with 7.0 boards per game with Gabby Elliott having grabbed 5.3 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.