CCU

Women's Hoops Ends 2007 with 60-45 Win over Alabama State

       

Women's Hoops Ends 2007 with 60-45 Win over Alabama State

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- With the help of a career high 33 points from sophomore Lacey Lyons (Beverly Hills, Fla./Crystal River) and a defense that forced 25 turnovers, the Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (8-3) snapped a three-game losing streak in a 60-45 win over Alabama State (2-5) Dec. 20 in game one of the Crescent Bank Carolinas Challenge in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Sophomore Devin Rivers (Miami, Fla./Felix Varela) scored in double figures for the third straight game, putting in 11 points and made it a double-double with 10 rebounds.   Lyons was 10-of-17 from the field and 8-of-13 from three-point range. She added five free throws to break her career high of 30 against Howard Nov. 26, 2006.    Coastal jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first 2:45 and had a 14-6 lead at 13:56 on Lyons’ free throws after a Hornet technical foul. A mini 6-0 run by Alabama State cut it to 15-12, but Coastal answered with its own 6-0 run, capped by a Lyons three at 6:50. At 21-17, Coastal went on a 9-2 run to end the half, as a layup from senior Vicky Blanchard (Eutawville, S.C./Holly Hill-Roberts) and free throws from senior C.J. Ware (Decatur, Ga./Lakeside) gave the Lady Chants a 30-19 halftime lead.   Lyons had 16 points in the first half, making four three pointers. Blanchard added seven rebounds, while Rivers had five rebounds. For the Hornets, Assunta Fulgham had eight points and six rebounds. Coastal shot 33.3 percent in the first period and forced Alabama State into 16 first-half turnovers.   Coastal would extend the lead to double digits on a Lyons layup at 17:23 and would keep the lead between 11 and 19 the rest of the game. The Lady Chants shot 42.1 percent in the second half and went 10-of-19 from the free-throw line in winning for the third straight year at the Carolinas Challenge.   Blanchard was the third Lady Chant in double figures with 10 points and added three steals. Sophomore Amanda Stull (Rushville, Ind./Rushville Consolidated) had three assists and four steals.   Rivers’ double-double was the first by Coastal since Blanchard did the trick against Birmingham-Southern Jan. 22, 2007.   Coastal outrebounded Alabama State 35-29 and scored 21 points off Hornet turnovers. Alabama State was led by Erica Lumpkin with 13 points. Fulgham added 12 and seven rebounds.   Coastal will take the holidays off and return to the court Thursday, Jan. 3 against Coker College. Game time is at 7 p.m.