CHARLESTON W.Va.— #25Golden Eagle women's basketball completed one of the most memorable comebacks in recent history to earn a three-point, 87-84, victory over West Liberty University at the Wehrle Athletic Arena on Saturday afternoon.   
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE –University of Charleston – 87, West Liberty - 84
LOCATION – Charleston, W.Va. 
RECORDS – Charleston (13-1, 8-0 MEC); West Liberty (8-6, 5-3)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Everything was going West Liberty's way through the first 20 minutes of Saturday's game as they built a 24-point lead over the nationally ranked Golden Eagles before settling for a 51-29 advantage over UC heading into the halftime break.  The Toppers were stroking it from deep, hitting on 10 of the 18 first half attempts and were poised to upset the 25^thranked Golden Eagles and hand the hosts their first MEC of the 2018-19 season.
 
An energized UC squad led by first year coach Becky Burke emerged from the locker room as the Golden Eagles began their historic comeback.  Charleston began to chip away at 25-point Topper lead with 8:20 remaining as Burke leaned on her senior transfer, Raziyah Farrington, to bring the Golden Eagles back from what seemed like a sure loss.  Farrington scored 13 of UC's 32 third quarter points to narrow the Topper lead to just nine, 70-61, heading into the final frame.
 
A quick six points to start the quarter made the game a one-possession game, 70-67, with 8:27 left on the game clock.  Two minutes later Charleston took their first lead since early in the first quarter at 73-72 following a jumper in the lane by Farrington.  The Toppers answered on the other end with an 8-0 run of their own to take a six-point lead, 80-74, halfway through the fourth quarter. Trailing 82-75 with 4:37 it looked as if UC was dead in the water again, but the resilient Golden Eagles weren't going to be denied.  Charleston reeled off 10 straight points to take a three-point, 85-82, lead with just under two minutes to play.  The teams traded misses over the next minute and a half before West Liberty converted on a pair of free throws to make it a one-point UC lead with 13 seconds remaining. Forced to foul, the Toppers sent Brooklyn Pannell to stripe where the confident sophomore drained them both to put UC ahead 87-84 with 10 seconds left.  Pannell came up big again on the other end with West Liberty looking for the tie, coming up with a steal near midcourt, dribble out the clock and give Charleston the come-from-behind win, the biggest in the past decade for UC women's basketball.

 
 
CHARLESTON INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Points – Raziyah Farrington (36), Anna Hayton (20), Brooklyn Pannell (11)
Rebounds – Aloneet Durden (9), Hayton (8), Gracie Roberts (8)
Blocks – Hayton (3)
Steals – Hayton (2)
Assists – Roberts (10)
 
The Golden Eagles host West Virginia Wesleyan College on Thursday evening at the Wehrle Innovation Center.  Tip-off with the Bobcats is set for 5:30 p.m.


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