CCU

Women's Basketball Gets Big South Win Over Birmingham-Southern, 67-43

       

Women's Basketball Gets Big South Win Over Birmingham-Southern, 67-43

CONWAY, S.C.- The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (12-13, 6-7 Big South) shot 50 percent from the field and held Birmingham-Southern College (11-15, 3-10 Big South) to 17 percent in the first half in defeating the Panthers 67-43 March 1 at Kimbel Arena in Conway, S.C.

Birmingham-Southern led early 6-5 with 15:45 left in the first half, but Coastal Carolina blew the Panthers away with 21-2 run, leading 26-8 with 3:27 left. Senior Crystal Brown (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) started the run with a layup to give the Lady Chants a lead they would never relinquish. Senior Nikki Reddick (Hartsville, S.C./Hartsville) then scored five of the next seven points, giving Coastal an eight-point cushion. Four points from sophomore Amber Rose (Baxter, Tenn./Upperman) and junior Courtney Brown (Cheasapeake, Va./Western Branch) and a three-pointer from Reddick gave Coastal the big advantage.

Coastal shot 44.4 percent (12-of-27) in the first half and held the Panthers to 4-of-23 from the field, 1-of-7 from three-point range. Reddick led the Chants at the half with nine points.

Birmingham-Southern cut the deficit to 10 points with 14:10 remaining on two free throws from Lindsay Boyett, but Coastal quickly answered, getting the lead to 21 points at the 10:32 mark. The Lady Chants coasted the rest of the game, leading by as many as 31 points.

The Lady Chants shot 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. They also forced Birmingham-Southern into 26 turnovers, while committing only 15 themselves.

Reddick led the Lady Chants with 22 points, including a 5-of-8 performance from three-point range. Reddick also tied the game high with seven rebounds. Courtney Brown came off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds while senior Temecca Barnes (Malone, Fla./Chipola J.C.) had 10 points and a game-high five steals.

Birmingham-Southern was led by Boyett with 12 points. Ricka Spears and Stacey Anthony had seven rebounds apiece.

Coastal is now tied for fifth place with Charleston Southern University at 6-7. Both teams are one-half game behind Radford University, who plays at second-place High Point University Wednesday. The Lady Chants and Charleston Southern face off Saturday, March 6, at 7 p.m., in Kimbel Arena. It is Senior Night for the five Coastal seniors.