WILMINGTON, N.C. – Despite a double-double from sophomore Bre Bolden and a 42% team shooting percentage, the College of Charleston women's basketball team fell on Friday afternoon to the Seahawks of UNCW in front of 2,488 fans at the Trask Coliseum.
As a team, the Cougars (3-11) grabbed 11 offensive boards and hit four-of-10 from behind the arc, but were eventually undone by 24 turnovers and a negative rebounding margin – both of which combined to hand CofC its second loss of the young conference schedule.
Also contributing offensively were senior Georgia natives Erin Hall (10) and Christy Hewatt (10), while junior Jacqueline Luna-Castro (8) just barely missed out on her seventh double-digit scoring effort of the season. On the defensive side of the ball, it was Bolden who again championed the Cougar's cause, grabbing 11 boards and swiping five steals – upping her nationally-ranked average from 3.7 to 3.9 per game.
Playing in front of over 1,500 elementary school kids in house to celebrate “Education Day”, the Seahawks took advantage of some sloppy play from the Cougars early to score the opening seven points of the game and 11 of the first 15 overall. After a steal and lay-in from Bolden cut the deficit to five with 8:41 remaining in the opening frame, the hosts rattled off nine straight points to extend their lead to 12. Still down 11 with under three minutes remaining, the Cougars then brought it back to five, before a last second shot from Seahawk senior Kelva Atkins (21 points) gave UNCW a 32-25 lead at the half.
In the second half, the Cougars often looked the better team – twice closing the gap to three points at 36-33 and 45-42. However, with comeback seemingly in full-effect, the Seahawks embarked on a 15-6 run midway through the second stanza to take a commanding 60-48 lead with just 3:38 remaining in the game. A late triple from Hall gave the Cougars life with under a minute to go, but nine was as close as CofC would come, eventually falling, 69-57 in the first of a two-game weekend road swing through North Carolina.
The win gives Wilmington an 8-7 overall series advantage. The next meeting between the two teams will take place on March 1, at TD Arena.
Up next for CofC is a trip to conference newcomers Elon on Sunday, Jan. 11at Alumni Gym, where tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m.
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