RALEIGH, N.C. – Despite a strong second half, Coastal Carolina women's basketball dropped their game to No. 16 NC State 71-58 on Wednesday night at Valvano Arena.

The Chants dropped to 2-4 with the loss.

COASTAL LEADERS
Tessa Grady led the scoring effort with 22 points on 8-17 shooting, going 5-11 from three-point range. Tracey Hueston collected the first double-double by a Chanticleer this season, dropping in 13 points and collecting 11 rebounds, a new career-high.

GAME RECAP
Coastal grabbed an early lead after a three-pointer by Grady, followed by a layup from D'Yanis Jimenez to go up 7-4 with 7:38 remaining in the first. NC State closed the quarter out on a 14-0 run to take control 18-7.   

The Wolfpack continued to pull away in the second quarter, stretching their lead to 34-13 by halftime.

The Chants found their groove in the third quarter, outscoring the Wolfpack 26-19 and making 10 of their 17 shots from the field. The lead was cut to nine on an offensive rebound and putback layup by Grady to make it 45-36 with 2:55 left. After NC State pushed the lead back to 11, Hueston made a layup to cut the lead to 47-38. The Wolfpack scored six of the final seven points to take a 53-39 lead into the fourth.

Coastal continued to put the pressure on in the final period. As NC State stretched their lead to 17, the Chants made their next three baskets with a Kinsea Grimes tip-in, a jumper by Hueston, and a layup by Grady to make it 64-53 with 4:08 to play. That would be the closest that Coastal would get, as NC State closed it out with a 71-58 win.

TEAM STATS
Coastal shot 34 percent from the field, going 23-67. Their shooting increased in the second half as the Chants went 18-36 from the field. Coastal went 6-29 from three-point range but made five of their 13 attempts in the second half.

NC State finished shooting 45 percent from the field and 31 percent from three, out-rebounding Coastal 45-37.

Coastal forced 12 turnovers in the second half while committing six of their own. The Chants outscored the Wolfpack 45-37 across the final two periods.

UP NEXT

The Chanticleers return home to face Presbyterian at the HTC Center Monday, Nov. 24 for a 6 p.m. tip-off.

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.