CHARLESTON, S.C. – Led by a 17-point performance from sophomore Bre Bolden, the College of Charleston women's basketball team upset the Blue Hens of Delaware University on Tuesday night, 55-49, in their 2014-15 Colonial Athletic Association home opener.
As a team, the Cougars (3-10) put forth their most well-rounded display of the season, winning the battle on the glass, 39-33, while forcing 15 turnovers and shooting 39% from the field. In a game that featured four ties and nine lead changes, the Cougars managed to overcome a seven point second half deficit, getting crucial stops and knocking down clutch free throws to knock off a team picked to finish second in the CAA preseason coaches' poll.
Also registering double digits offensively was senior guard Erin Hall (12 points), as well as junior forward Jacqueline Luna-Castro, who helped the Cougars control the paint with 10 points and seven rebounds. It was Bolden who led the way though, contributing in every facet of the game, grabbing eight rebounds and swiping five steals to accompany her impressive offensive output.
In a tightly-contested first half of action where no team led by more than five points, the Cougars and Blue Hens took turns trading blows throughout the opening 10 minutes of play. Operating a 1-2-2 press and a match-up zone defensively, the hosts began to unsettle Delaware before a deep three from Hall tied the game at 13-13 with 8:02 remaining in the opening stanza. A great move on the low-block from Luna-Castro gave the Cougars a one-point advantage heading in to the under four minute media timeout, but a late three-pointer from Courtni Green gave the visitors a 26-23 lead at the break.
Delaware then came out firing in the opening stages of the second half, jumping out to a six point lead following a transition lay-up from Chastity Taylor at the 16:45 mark. Consecutive baskets from Bolden and a pull-up jumper from Brown tied the game at 33-33, but the Blue Hens quickly reasserted themselves, taking a seven point advantage with 11:39 to play in the game.
From there, the Cougars played some of their best basketball of the season. Another trey from Hall got the comeback started, closing the gap to just one with 7:57 to go. Then, down three with just four minutes to play, the Cougars turned up the heat as Bolden knocked down four straight free throws to put the Cougars on top for the first time in the half, 51-49 with 2:23 remaining in the game. After nearly two minutes of scoreless action, it was Bolden again who provided the game's defining moment:
Driving right with just 26 seconds remaining, the Edgewater, Md., native spun through the lane and knocked down a floater over the outstretched arms of two Delaware defenders, giving the Cougars a lead they would not relinquish. Hall then stepped up and hit two critical free-throws, sealing the 55-49 victory and handing the Cougars their first conference win of the season.
The victory ties the overall series between the two teams at 2-2. They will face each other again, in Newark, Del., on Jan. 22.
Up next for the Cougars is a weekend road swing through North Carolina, where they will play UNCW on Friday, Jan. 9, before clashing with conference newcomers Elon on Sunday, Jan. 11.
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