College of Charleston
South Florida
Women?s Hoops Falls Short at South Florida, 67-47
12/14/2014 11:09:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TAMPA, Fla. – Seniors Erin Hall and Mikaela Hopkins had eight points each while Christy Hewatt corralled nine rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the College of Charleston women's basketball team fell to highly-touted South Florida on Sunday afternoon, 67-47, at the Sun Dome.
As a team, the Cougars (0-8) shot the ball well, hitting at a 43% clip from behind the arc and 80% from the charity stripe, while also doing well to match the Bulls intensity on the glass, grabbing 42 total rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Cougars were eventually undone by 22 turnovers and an efficient offensive night from the Bulls, who finished the game with four players in double digits.
Buoyed by a home crowd of 1,296, it was the USF who jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, forcing two turnovers and knocking down four of their first six shots. The Cougars quickly responded, as back-to-back baskets from Hewatt and freshman point guard Shiclasia Brown got The College on the board before a deep three-pointer from Hall brought CofC to within one, 8-7.
As both teams traded baskets over the next ten minutes, it was another triple from Hall that kept the Cougars within striking distance, closing the Bulls' lead to 21-16 with just over six minutes to go in the opening stanza. That was as close as the Cougars would get however, as the Bull's went on a 14-4 run to close out the half, giving the home team a definitive edge in both points and momentum.
The second half was more of the same as the USF scored the opening seven points, eventually going up by as many 29, 67-38, with just over three minutes to play. Resilient, the Cougars never gave in and continued to cut in to the lead late in the half, but eventually ran out of time as the Bulls got their revenge for last season's loss at TD Arena, claiming their seventh win of the season, 67-47.
The game brings to a close the most difficult stretch of the Cougars 2014-15 schedule. In their last seven games, CofC has faced four teams who played in the postseason a year ago, including defending national champions UConn as well as East Carolina, Minnesota and 2013-14 WNIT final four participants USF. Further contributing to the Cougars arduous start have been perennial powers Villanova and George Mason.
Looking forward, the Cougars now have three straight games against regional opposition, beginning next Sunday at TD Arena (2 p.m.), where the Cougars will face the Mercer Bears on John Kresse Court. South Carolina State (Dec. 28) and USC Upstate (Dec. 30) then await CofC, before the Cougars head north to Long Island for their Colonial Athletic Association opener versus Hofstra on Jan. 4.
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