Edinboro, Pa – Charleston entered the McComb Fieldhouse seeking their third consecutive win after defeated West Liberty and Wheeling in back-to-back Mountain East Conference matchups. Edinboro, coming off a 79-55 loss to West Chester, was looking to get back on track with an out-of-conference win over the Golden Eagles. 
 
The Basics
Location: McComb Fieldhouse
Score: UC 94, EU 95 (OT)
Records: UC 4-7 (2-4 MEC), EU 3-4 (1-1 PSAC)
 
How it Happened
Edinboro would start fast in the first quarter, shooting 72% from the field and draining three of their five attempted three-pointers. The Golden Eagles would convert 47% inside the arc and hit a third of their triples, but the Fighting Scots ability to hit almost every shot they took would put the team ahead of the Golden Eagles at the end of the first quarter with a 12-point advantage. Kiara Cruz would open up the scoring for Charleston in the following period, scoring the first seven points for the visitors highlighted with a three pointer to get to within seven points of Edinboro. The Fighting Scots would maintain their lead as the game headed for halftime, but Charleston would outscore Edinboro 23-18 in the quarter. Jamia Nesmith would finish the first half scoring converting on an and-one layup in the paint and knocking home the free throw. Edinboro would take a 48-41 lead into the halftime break. 
 
Nia Vanzant's pair of triples to start the half would put Charleston within a score of Edinboro, but the Fighting Scots were able to match all of Charleston's points in the third quarter. The Golden Eagles would put up an impressive 62% conversion rate from the field and draining 3-4 three pointers to keep themselves alive in this out-of-conference matchup. It wouldn't be until the fourth quarter that the Golden Eagles would take their second lead of the game after a layup from underneath by Vanzant to take the 66-64 advantage. Charleston would work themselves all the way into an 11-point lead over Edinboro with just over four minutes remaining in the game, but the Fighting Scots would take advantage of the clock and regain the lead with 30 seconds remaining after Hayley Sims drained a triple for the 79-78 lead. Vanzant's layup with 19 second left would be matched by a Morgan Gentile quick close-range jumper with very little time remaining, but the Golden Eagles would stay alive after Vanzant would take a trip to the line on a shooting foul with one second to go. She would make the second free throw and the two teams would go into an overtime period.
 
Despite a Golden Eagle lead for majority of the overtime period, the Fighting Scots would take the hard-fought battle with a game-winning three pointer near the buzzer from Allyson Kirby to escape with the 95-94 victory. 
 
 
Up Next
The Golden Eagles will former Mountain East Conference member UVA Wise on December 30^th in the Wehrle Innovation Center at 2:00 PM. This will be the final contest of the 2023 year for Charleston, looking to enter the new year with momentum.