University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Charleston Southern
Bulldogs Edge Charleston Southern 75-68
01.09.2012 | Women's Basketball
The victory (6-9, 2-2 BSC) snapped a four-game CSU (10-5, 3-1 BSC) winning streak and was the Lady Buccaneers first league loss of the season. Charleston Southern forward Lakeitha Alston enjoyed a spectacular game with a career-best 31 points and nine rebounds. She also had four assists, two blocked shots and two steals. Alston went 11-of-23 from the field and knocked down three 3-pointers. She was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.
Kelli Riles had her sixth double-double of the season for Asheville with 11 points and 16 rebounds. She collected her 600th career rebound in the first half. Riles now has 613 career rebounds, eighth best in school history.
Freshman Leah Wormack and Blaylock added 11 points for the Bulldogs, while Shonese Jones finished with 10 points and four assists.
Thompson, Asheville's career leader in three-pointers, went 8-for-18 from the field, 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. She also dished out seven assists and collected four rebounds.
CSU had Erin Bratcher and Rachelle Howard with 10 point each. Shay Jones had six assists and nine rebounds.
With the game tied at 66-66 with under a minute remaining, Thompson found Blaylock along the left wing. She knocked the 24-footer with 51 seconds left to give the Bulldogs the lead for good at 69-66.
CSU came up empty on its next two possessions and the Bulldogs put the game away from the free throw line. Asheville was 6-of-6 in the final 30 seconds to earn its first victory over the Buccaneers in three seasons.
"I'm really proud of this team for finding a way to win tonight against an explosive Charleston Southern team," commented Bulldog coach Betsy Blose. "Lindsey Thompson did a great job with her long-distance shooting plus her drives to the basket. Grace Blaylock came up big for us late in the game and then we got stops and rebounds when we had to have them late in the game."
Alston dominated the scoring in the first half for CSU. She scored 17 points as she helped the Lady Buccaneers take a 39-34 halftime lead.
The first half had 13 lead changes and five ties. Thompson led the Asheville attack with 10 points, including two long three-pointers.
UNC Asheville is back in action Saturday afternoon when the Bulldogs travel to Big South Conference foe Winthrop starting at 1 p.m. Charleston Southern is home on Saturday to face Radford with tip-off at 2 p.m.
BULLDOG NOTES
UNC Asheville is 6-2 at home this season and won four straight in its new Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs are 2-0 in Big South Conference action at home after winning just one league game at Justice Center a year ago.
The Bulldogs have won back-to-back games after trailing at halftime.
Lindsey Thompson had 15 assists in the last two games. She now has 184 career three-pointers.
Grace Blaylock has 28 field goals this season with 27 being treys.
The win ended a four-game losing streak to Charleston Southern and marked the Bulldogs first win over the Lady Bucs since the 2009-10 season.
