Senior guard Jade Hughes (Spartanburg, S.C./Dorman) led the Cougars (2-1)with a game-high 21 points and three steals. Senior guard Ericka Williams (Blackville, S.C./Blackville-Hilda) tied her career-high of 17 points.

A three-pointer by Williams gave Charleston a 15-14 lead five minutes into the first half. The Cougars never looked back, stretching the lead to nine points before Mercer (0-2) rallied. The Bears crept back into contention, largely because of redshirt-freshman Lindsey Lowrie's five treys, and closed the half down by three (42-39).

The Cougars came out firing in the second half as junior guard Tonia Gerty (Port Orange, Fla./Spruce Creek) hit back-to-back three-pointers in the first 1:30. CofC continued to assert its dominance, pulling ahead by 13 as Hughes grabbed an offensive board and put it back for two with 15:03 left to play.

Charleston amped up its defense, limiting the Bears to two second-half treys after they had drilled eight three-pointers in the previous half. Senior forward Brooke Kotcella (Anderson, S.C./Wren) pulled down a team-high seven rebounds while senior center NeShonda McLaurin (McColl, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) grabbed five defensive boards.

Gerty finished the evening with 15 points and a game-high seven assists. Williams also dished the ball a career-high seven times against the Bears. Kotcella scored 12 points while senior Deidra Jones (Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork) added 11 points.

Mercer was led by LaToya Jackson's 19 points. The Bears were held to 43 percent shooting from the floor and connected on just 68 percent of their free throw attempts.

The Cougars went 14-for-23 (60 percent) from outside the arc. Hughes scored four treys, while Gerty made three from downtown, including one as the shot clock expired.

CofC returns to Caroline First Arena on Saturday to host Texas San Antonio at 4 p.m. as the second part of the Lowcountry Classic.