College of Charleston
4-4
Western Kentucky
7-2
Cougars Topped by Lady Toppers, Fall to 4-4
12/19/2015 2:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – For the first time this season, the College of Charleston women's basketball team fell at home, dropping 78-44 to the Western Kentucky Lady Toppers (7-2).
The Cougars were outscored by six points in each of the first two periods, and managed to head into the locker room with only a 12-point deficit at 30-18. Kelsey Booth scored all 10 of her points in the first half, and wound up leading the Cougars in scoring as well as blocks, with two.
The College couldn't get things sorted out at half, and the Lady Toppers ramped things up in the final 20 minutes, adding 22 points to their lead in the final two periods.
"Early on in the first, we missed open layups," head coach Candice M. Jackson said. "Their pressure in the half court bothered us and we weren't able to get into an offensive flow. Once they hit shots in the second half, that changed the game."
Despite hitting a career-high six assists, Breanna Bolden was out of sorts, being held scoreless in the first half before ultimately finishing with seven points, five boards and a steal on 2-of-10 shooting. Nola Henry chipped in five boards, four assists and three points, nailing a layup at the end of the first quarter to bring the Cougars within six.
CofC never found their rhythm from the field, going 30% (18-of-60) on the whole and 14.3% from deep (2-of-14). Outside of free throw shooting, where the Cougars and Lady Toppers were effectively the same, WKU won nearly every statistical category.
Kendall Noble and Ivy Brown led the way for Western Kentucky, with the former nearly achieving a triple double with a 19-8-9 performance. Brown meanwhile had a 12-10 double-double, adding three blocks and two steals.
The Cougars will have Saturday to recalibrate from the loss before hosting Louisville on Sunday.
"Our key going forward is having a short memory," Jackson said. "We'll work on the things we need to work on, but we can't hold on to this one. We just need to get our minds on what's next."
Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
