CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Charleston punched their ticket to the MEC Championship quarters with an 84-73 win over Shepherd University Tuesday evening at the Charleston Catholic Athletic Complex.
 
Chyress Lockhart scored 20 of her 27 points after halftime to lead the Golden Eagles, adding 12 rebounds and five assists for her second consecutive double-double.  Olivia Nicholas chipped in a career-high 18 points of her own, making 7-of-8 free throws with many of those in the final two minutes of play.
 
Morgan Arden led all scorers with 37 points in the losing effort, hitting on 13 of her 30 attempts and draining six shots from behind the three-point arc.
 
Charleston used a strong first half of shooting to lead Shepherd by eight, 41-33, with Abby Watson and Mya Walker each scoring eight points.  UC hit on exactly half of their field goal attempts and their three-point attempts.  They built their first half lead out to to 13 midway through the second quarter, but a 9-2 run by the Rams narrowed the lead just before the half.
 
Morgan Arden scored 10 third quarter points to keep Shepherd close, but Chryress Lockhart came through with a big period herself to keep the Golden Eagle lead at six, 58-52 heading to the final 10 minutes. 
 
The battled continued between Arden and Lockhart throughout the fourth period as the Rams got within two, but UC provided answers to each Ram run to hold a four-point, 71-67 advantage with three minutes to play.  Shepherd couldn't hit the buckets late in the game to cut into Charleston's lead as the Golden Eagles made their free throws down the stretch to advance to the quarterfinals of the MEC Championship. 
 
The Golden Eagles play Thursday afternoon at the Charleston Civic Center where they will take on the #2 seeded Wheeling Jesuit University Cardinals with tip-off slated for noon.