Chants stifle Georgia State in 60-52 win

ATLANTA, GA (Coastal Carolina Athletics) - Coastal Carolina held Georgia State to five first-quarter points and led for over 39 minutes of play as the Chanticleers notched their fifth consecutive win over the Panthers, 60-52, on Thursday night.

Arin Freeman led the Chants with 16 points while Deaja Richardson chipped in 14 points off the bench. Makaila Cange recorded nine points and a team-high 12 rebounds, while Anaya Barney and Riley Stack each tallied three blocks. The Chants (9-19, 3-12 SBC) stormed to an early lead as three-pointers from Barney and Cange helped Coastal build an 8-2 lead less than 90 seconds into the contest. CCU forced Georgia State (15-11, 9-6 SBC) to miss its first nine shots from the field and took a 14-5 lead into the second quarter. The five points allowed by the Chanticleers in the first period marked the fewest Coastal had surrendered in a quarter all season.

An early three from Richardson pushed Coastal Carolina’s lead back to nine early in the second quarter, but the Panthers rallied back to within two before Dalanna Carter and Richardson hit baskets on consecutive possessions to give Coastal a 25-21 advantage at halftime. Georgia State trimmed the Coastal lead to two with 8:23 to go in the third quarter before Tiara Abron’s fast-break three-pointer ignited an 11-0 Chanticleer run. CCU’s defense clamped down once again in the third quarter, holding the Panthers without a field goal for 8:17 until a jumper with five seconds left in the period made the score 41-28. Coastal fought off one final rally attempt from GSU as the Panthers pulled within four with 5:09 remaining in the game.

However, the Chants knocked down seven of their next eight free throws and Georgia State never drew closer than seven the rest of the way as Coastal secured its first road conference win of the season. Coastal shot 41.7 percent from the field while holding Georgia State to a 17-of-64 outing (26.6 percent). The Chants out rebounded GSU 46-38 and limited the Panthers to just 3-of-21 shooting long range.

Coastal Carolina visits Georgia Southern on Saturday afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. matchup.