Box Score
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An outstanding second half performance that saw the University of Charleston women’s basketball team shoot a blazing 54 percent from the floor, while hitting 15-of-18 free throws propelled the Golden Eagles to a 100-95 win over Glenville State, Saturday night.
Glenville State (16-7, 14-4), who leads NCAA Division II in points per game at 98.5, sprinted out to a 16 point advantage at halftime as it controlled the first half with its run and gun offense that is filled with full lineup substitutions. The Pioneers capitalized in the opening 20 minutes on 26 points from its bench and outscoring the home team 12-0 on second chance points.
Charleston (19-5, 15-3) recovered in the second half by restoring its game plan to continue using its powerful inside presence to chip away at the GSU lead through the first 12 minutes of the closing half. Once UC stopped settling for outside shots the Glenville State advantage evaporated as a pair of Lindsey Kentner (Wapakoneta, Ohio/Wapakoneta) foul shots with 7:01 remaining gave the Golden Eagles an 81-80 lead, its first of the game.
In the last seven minutes the lead would change five times with the Pioneers holding the largest lead of three points during that span. The University of Charleston continued to battle against the fast pace of GSU and their full court press to fight back to a 92-92 deadlock with just 1:33 on the clock. Freshman Erika Rousculp (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) sent the rowdy crowd in Eddie King Gym into a frenzy by hitting a foul shot with 1:06 to play giving the Golden Eagles a 93-92 lead, which it would not surrender. Kentner sealed the contest and vaulted Charleston into first place in the West Virginia Conference with 3-of-4 foul shots and a sneaky tip-in on a loose ball all within the final 13 seconds.
The 100-95 final score was the first time this season UC has used the third digit on the scoreboard and it was due to great halftime adjustments which saw the Golden Eagles outscore GSU 30-10 in the paint and 20-5 off turnovers.
Glenville State’s game plan usually wears teams down consistently substituting an entirely new lineup with 12 players scoring regularly, yet Charleston responded with 11 players of its own seeing action to counter the fast pace of play.
Kentner led all scorers on the evening with 32 points, five rebounds, four blocks and three steals. Tiana Beatty (Charleston, W.Va./Capital) exploded for 26 points and five rebounds as she slashed through the Glenville State defense with ease for much of the evening.
Tarenna Dixon (Morgantown, W.Va./University) was the only other player in double figures for Charleston with a 10 point and eight rebound effort as she faced a shorted game due to foul trouble.
Five Pioneers ended the night in double figures led by Mishae Miles double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Tenisha Wilson poured in 21 points for GSU.
The 21 shots made from the charity stripe were a season-high for Charleston.
UC gets back on the court to defend first place as the team travels to face Fairmont State on Thursday, February 17 at 5:30 pm. The contest will be the first meeting between the teams since FSU ended Charleston’s 2009-10 campaign in the WVIAC playoffs.
