Women's Basketball Faces College of Charleston in the Carolina's Women's Challenge
More Information:
Game 7
Coastal Carolina (3-3) vs. College of Charleston (3-3)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 19
Time: 1 p.m.
Place: Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Series: College of Charleston leads 29-7
TV/Radio: None
Live Stats: www.beachballclassic.com
Coastal Takes Part in the Carolina’s Women’s Challenge
The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (3-3), fresh off a 73-45 win over Savannah State University Thursday night, head to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and Myrtle Beach, S.C., to participate in the Carolina’s Women’s Challenge. The Lady Chants take on the College of Charleston (3-3) Sunday, Dec. 19, at 1 p.m. The game is part of a doubleheader that will be followed by the North Carolina-Georgia State game. Coastal will play seven of its next eight games away from Kimbel Arena.
Scouting College of Charleston
The Cougars fell to Davidson College 72-47 Friday night in its last game. The College of Charleston already has played three games in conference, defeating Georgia Southern University 60-50 while falling to Davidson and Chattanooga (71-35). Leading the way for the Cougars is Patrice Bryant, who is averaging 13.2 points and 6.7 rebounds a game. Against Davidson, Bryant had 15 points and seven rebounds. Marketta Talley is CofC’s second-leading scorer at 8.5 points per game.
The Cougars are coached by Nancy Wilson, who is in her second stint as head coach at the College of Charleston. She has a 203-89 record at the school in 10 seasons and a 504-238 overall record in 23 seasons.
Series vs. College of Charleston
The College of Charleston holds a commanding 29-7 advantage over Coastal Carolina in the season series. Coastal won in the 2001-02 season 81-48 over the Cougars, but the College of Charleston has won the last two meetings, including last year’s come-from-behind 60-57 win at Kimbel Arena. For the complete story and box score of last year’s game, please turn to page 5 of the game notes. Coastal head coach Alan LeForce is 2-5 all-time against CofC.
LeForce Has Charleston Connections
Coastal head coach Alan LeForce was the men’s head coach at the College of Charleston for nine seasons, beginning in 1971. During his stint in Charleston, he compiled a 132-110 record and posted five straight winning seasons. His 1975 Cougar squad won a then-school record 21 games. He also was the school’s director of athletics for seven years while he was there.
Always Giving An Assist
Coastal has two of the top three players in the Big South in assist-to-turnover ratio. Junior Amber Rose (Bloomington Springs, Tenn./Upperman) leads the conference with a 2.11 ratio. She had five assists in a 73-45 win over Savannah State Dec. 16. Sophomore Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) is third in the Big South at 1.10. She had eight assists in the season opener against Anderson.
Laug Makes Most of Her Chances
Sophomore Vanessa Laug (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) had a career high 15 points off the bench in a 73-45 win over Savannah State Dec. 16. She connected on five of her seven field-goal attempts and was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. She is now averaging 5.7 points per game and 9.0 points in her last three games.
Coastal Jumps on Tigers in Win
Coastal got off to a hot start in its 73-45 win over Savannah State Dec. 16. The Lady Chants lead 11-0 just 2:50 into the game and had a 22-point lead (30-8) at the 7:41 mark. Coastal led by as many as 28 points in the first 20 minutes on its way to its largest winning margin since last year’s season opener against Anderson in which the Lady Chants won 76-48.
Young Has Career Day vs. Tar Heels
Junior Demaria Young (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.) had a career-high 16 points in a 94-52 loss to fifth-ranked North Carolina Dec. 12. Young was 6-of-13 from the field and hit three three-pointers. She upped her scoring average from 5.3 to 7.4 points per game.
The Comeback Kids ... Almost
Coastal Carolina almost came back from an 18-point deficit in its 67-65 loss to Appalachian State Dec. 2. The Lady Chants were down 25-7 with 8:42 left in the first half, but cut the lead to eight at the half. Coastal outscored ASU 38-32 in the second half and tied the game twice, the last with 7:22 left. Junior Amber Rose (Bloomington Springs, Tenn./Upperman) had a shot to win with two seconds left, but her shot was blocked.
Brown Makes a Statement
Senior Courtney Brown (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) came off the bench to score 18 points and eight rebounds Dec. 2 against Appalachian State. Brown was 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range. She also added two assists, two steals and two blocked shots. On the year, Brown is averaging 9.2 points and 6.0 rebounds a game.
LeForce Earns His 100th Victory at Coastal in Win over UNCW
Coastal head coach Alan LeForce earned his 100th victory at Coastal Carolina with a 51-47 win over UNC Wilmington Nov. 30. LeForce is the only coach in Division I to win 100 games in both men’s and women’s basketball and only the second coach in all NCAA divisions. He has an overall 101-102 record at CCU. LeForce is the winningest head coach in Coastal women’s basketball history, passing Gina Markland Feb. 23, 2004. Overall, LeForce is 341-282 in 22 years as a head coach.
Sharing the Wealth In This Holiday Season...
The Lady Chanticleers cannot be accused of being "Grinches" during this holiday season, as they have shown the ability to share the rock. Coastal has five players averaging seven points or more in the first four games, led by junior Kim Turner’s (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) 11.0 points per game.
...Then Taking the Gifts Away
Coastal had 22 steals in the 51-47 victory over UNC Wilmington Nov. 30, as junior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) had seven thefts and junior Jasmine Tyler (Jacksonville, Fla./Okalossa C.C.) added six. Coastal is averaging 11.7 steals a game and has a +3.5 turnover margin.
Turner Has a Block Party Against UNCW
Junior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) had three of Coastal’s five blocks in the 51-47 win over UNC Wilmington Nov. 30. Turner now has nine blocks for the season and Coastal is averaging 3.3 blocks per game.
Tyler Makes It Happen In All Phases Against Campbell
Juniors Jasmine Tyler (Jacksonville, Fla./Okaloosa C.C.) put together a complete game in leading the Lady Chanticleers to their win over Campbell, Nov. 23. Tyler led the Lady Chants with CCU game-highs of 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in 31 minutes off the bench. For the season, she is now averaging 8.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 steals a contest.
Chanticleers Picked Eighth in the Big South
The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team was selected to finish eighth in the Big South Conference’s annual preseason poll, as voted by the League’s Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors. The announcement was made at the Westin Hotel in downtown Charlotte as part of the 2004-05 Basketball Tip-Off Media Luncheon.
For the second year in a row, Liberty was unanimously selected to win its eighth-straight regular-season crown, which set a Conference record. The Lady Flames have gone undefeated in Conference play for two straight years, and have won 38 consecutive Big South contests, dating back to the 2001-02 season. High Point was voted second, while UNC Asheville, Radford and Charleston Southern round out the top five. Birmingham-Southern placed sixth in the women’s poll, followed by Winthrop at seventh and Coastal Carolina eighth.
Hi, My Name is ...
Coastal will have seven new players on the roster this season and will have a whole new starting lineup. All five starters from the 2003-04 season exhausted their eligibility, including Coastal’s all-time leading scorer Nikki Reddick. The lineup for the Appalachian State game featured a true senior (Lucia Popovici), a redshirt junior (Amber Rose), two junior-college transfers (Kim Turner and Jasmine Tyler) and a sophomore (Alisha Dill). Turner and Tyler join junior Demaria Young, junior Kristy Yurichak, freshman C.J. Ware and redshirt freshman Samantha Carver as eligible newcomers. Sophomore Joanna Pekonen also is a newcomer on the roster, but will not be eligible until 2005-06 due to the NCAA transfer rule.
Dill Dishes Out Eight Assists Against Anderson
Sophomore Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) had a career high eight assists in Coastal’s 77-74 loss to Anderson Nov. 19. Her previous career best was four last season at Appalachian State Jan. 3 and Winthrop Feb. 21. Dill also added eight points, five rebounds and three steals in the game.
Turner Makes Debut in Style
Junior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) scored 16 points and added five rebounds in her first career game in a Coastal uniform, a 77-74 loss to Anderson Nov. 19. Turner added five rebounds and had two blocked shots. Juniors Jasmine Tyler (Jacksonville, Fla./Okaloosa C.C.) and Demaria Young (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.) each had eight points in their debuts.
Home Sweet Home
Coastal will enjoy the friendly confines of Kimbel Arena for five of its first six games. The Lady Chants do not go on the road until Dec. 12 against the University of North Carolina. Coastal also will have a game against the College of Charleston at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center Dec. 19. After that stretch, Coastal will be on the road for six of its next seven games.
Senior Leadership
Coastal has two seniors on the squad this season. Redshirt senior Courtney Brown (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) averaged 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds last season while playing in 24 games. Brown also missed four games due to injury last season. Senior Lucia Popovici (Edmonton, Alberta/Jasper Place) is penciled in as a starting center after averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 2003-04. The two have combined to average 13.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season.
Coastal Adds SIze to Roster
Coastal has eight players on its 2004-05 roster that are six feet or taller, led by junior Kristy Yurichak (Walton Hills, Ohio/Lakeland C.C.), who is 6-4. Sophomore Joanna Pekonen (Lappeenranta, Finland/Lafayette), who is ineligible to compete in games this season, is 6-3. Coastal has two 6-1 players and four players at six feet.
Carver Returns to Court
Redshirt freshman Samantha Carver (Flemingsburg, Ky/Fleming County) will make her return to basketball this season after missing all of 2003-04 to rehabilitation of a torn ACL. In high school, Carver averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds a game and was named a Louisville Courier-Journal All-State honorable mention.
Injury Update
Junior Kristy Yurichak (Walton Hills, Ohio/Lakeland C.C.) is out for the College of Charleston game (back).
Coastal Part of Carolinas Women’s Challenge
Coastal Carolina will be part of the Carolinas Women’s Challenge Dec. 19, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. The challenge, which coincides with the Holiday Invitational High School Girls Basketball Tournament, pits the Lady Chants against the College of Charleston at 1 p.m. The University of North Carolina-Georgia State University tilt follows that game. For more information on the holiday tournament, visit www.beachballclassic.com.
Radio Broadcasts
The Coastal Carolina women’s baskeball team will have at least 12 games on radio this season, tipping off with a home game against Savannah State University Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. All Coastal women’s basketball radio broadcasts are on "THE TEAM" 93.9 FM in Myrtle Beach. All games also will be available on Coastal Carolina’s athletic website at www.GoCCUSports.com.
Game Day Central
All the Coastal women’s basketball games this season will have a Game Day Central link on www.GoCCUSports.com, which will feature roster, schedules and stats for both teams as well as links to any live audio or live stats. Just click on the G under the women’s basketball schedule for access to the Game Day Central.
Up Next
Coastal will have 10 days off for the Christmas holiday and will return to the hardwood Wednesday, Dec. 29 at the University of South Carolina Tournament. The Lady Chants will face the host South Carolina at 7:45 p.m., in Columbia, S.C.
Stats
News
Schedule
Roster
