Conway, S.C. – Savannah Brooks scored a season-high 24 points to lead five Coastal Carolina players in double figures as the Chanticleers ran out to a 104-58 win over South Carolina State in a nonconference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at the HTC Center.
 
Brooks got her points in just 25 minutes of action, as the Chants built a 49-point lead in the final period and cruised to their fifth consecutive win, lifting their record to 9-1 on the season. It was the second time this season that Coastal has scored more than 100 points.
 
Brooks was aided by fellow guards Kristin Williams, who had 17 points, and Jayden Marable, who had 14, including 10 of those in the second half. Forwards Jaylen Ponder and Emilia Tenbrock added 13 points apiece. In all, 10 players scored points for Coastal.
 
Coastal had its best game in shooting three-pointers, making a season-high 19 on 44 attempts. Brooks and Williams combined for 10 of those makes on 24 attempts.
 
"We knew they were going to give us open threes. If they were giving them, we were taking them," said Coastal head coach Kevin Pederson after the game. "We were a smart offensive team today. We hit our groove and set the pace. We're off to a good start, but we haven't done anything special yet."
 
Shaunice Reed led all scorers, with 27 points for SC State, which fell to 1-14 on the season.
 
After Coastal's sluggish start, Williams took matters into her own hands. She hit eight consecutive points to close the first quarter and give her team a 23-17 lead. Two of those buckets were three-pointers, which started a trend for the Chants.
 
They hit five more three-pointers in the second quarter when Coastal broke open what had been a closely contested game to that point. Brooks made a long-range shot that ignited a 10-0 run, giving Coastal a 40-27 lead. Bruce added the final bucket of the first half, giving the Chants a 52-35 advantage at the break.
 
Coastal had already hit 10-of-23 from beyond the arc through two periods and Brooks and Williams were a combined 7-of-14 from long range. Brooks was the top scorer at the half with 16 points; Williams had 14.
 
Another run to start of the third quarter put the game away. Ponder started things with five consecutive points en route to a 14-3 run that left Coastal comfortably in front, 66-38. It was another hallmark third quarter for the Chants, who outscored SC State 27-16 in the period.
 
The lead grew to a high of 49 points when Tenbrock buried a three-pointer to make the score 102-53 with three minutes remining.
 
Coastal had a 38-30 edge in rebounding, with Ponder getting a team-high of eight. The diminutive Dawson Jemerson, a 5'5", came off the bench to get six rebounds, while dishing out seven assists in just 15 minutes.
 
Coastal will finish 2024 by hosting ULM at 1 p.m. Dec. 29 (Sunday) in the first Sun Belt Conference game of the season for each team.
 
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.