CLINTON, S.C. - Presbyterian
College set a new program record with its second Big South win of the season on
Monday night, defeating Coastal Carolina 56-46.
The Blue Hose improve to 3-17 on the season with a 2-6 mark in the Big
South while Coastal Carolina falls to 12-8 on the year and 3-5 in league play.
Freshman Dria David scored 12 points to lead the way for PC,
half of those coming from the charity stripe.
Coastal's Lauren Grochowski scored a career high 13 points while Sydnei
Moss had a game high 15 points for the Chanticleers.
"The effort and
hustle expended to keep a team under fifty in this league is tremendous," said
head coach Ronny Fisher. "I'm really
proud of the effort the team had tonight on defensive. We were also able to take care of the basketball
which was a key for us."
PC worked the ball through the paint early, scoring 12 of
their first 13 points from inside the lane during the game's opening eight
minutes. Dria David had five points
early to help the Blue Hose lead by as many as five.
Shonda Burnside also added four first half points to help
the Blue Hose to a 19-17 halftime lead over the Chanticleers. Overall, 14 of the Blue Hose's points came
from inside. Kristen Stevens accounted
for PC's only field goal outside the paint when she drained a three-pointer. She also tied a career high with seven
rebounds.
The halftime advantage was PC's fourth of the season. Head Coach Ronny Fisher's squad is now 3-1
when leading after 20 minutes.
Coastal Carolina went up four points at 12:27 before Amanda
Mills buried a three-pointer to bring the game back to within one point. The basket changed the game's momentum and sparked
a 16-3 run for the Blue Hose over the next 7:50 to put PC up, 43-34 with 4:36
remaining in the game. The nine point
lead was PC's largest of the night to that point.
The Blue Hose ran the lead out to as many as 13 before
Coastal cut the lead down to seven points at 1:34. The Chanticleers began intentional fouling on
the next possession. PC was 6-10 from
the free throw line in the waning seconds as Coastal failed to make hay,
turning the ball over twice late.
For the game, PC only turned the ball over 18 times, tying a
season low while forcing 14 Chanticleer turnovers. The Blue Hose shot 39 percent from the field
and 64 percent from the free throw line. Freshman Mariah Pietrowski also added 11 points and six rebounds in the game.
PC continues their six-game homestand on Saturday afternoon
against Winthrop. The game will open the
second half of the Big South season for the Blue Hose.
