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Dec. 21, 2008

Box Score

Columbia, SC - The Charlotte 49ers (8-3) women's basketball team behind four players in double-figures made a furious second half rally but it was not enough as the 49ers lost on the road at South Carolina (6-4), 78-76.

"South Carolina played with a greater sense of urgency than we did this afternoon," Charlotte coach Karen Aston said. "We just did not play with the same sense of urgency. South Carolina made shots today that they have not been making this season so we had to guard them tighter. As a result of that we started putting them on the free throw line. The thing I have liked about our team all season is that we do not quit."

Shannon McCallum and Aysha Jones led four 49ers in double-figures with 16 points apiece. Danielle Burgin chipped in 14 points for the 49ers. Erin Floyd rounded out Charlotte's double-figure scorers with 13 points. The 49ers behind the scoring of Burgin and Floyd outscored South Carolina 32-16 in the paint.

South Carolina's Samone Kennedy led four Gamecocks in double-figures with 23 points.

The game was very tight with six ties and several lead changes over the first 11 minutes. With the score knotted at 23 at the 8:11 mark, the 49ers went on an 8-0 run over the next two minutes taking a 31-23 lead at the 6:14 mark. Burgin, McCallum, Traci Ray and Brittany Carter scored during the 49ers run.

However, South Carolina answered with a 10-2 run over the next four minutes tying the score at 33-33. C.J. Pace scored six points for the Gamecocks during the run.

The lead went back and forth over the remainder of the half, South Carolina's Brionna Dickerson connected on two free throws with a minute left which gave the Gamecocks a 38-37 halftime lead.

South Carolina began the second half with a 16-4 run behind the three-point shooting of Kennedy, who connected on three three-point baskets in the first four minutes of the second half. South Carolina took a game-high 54-41 lead when Kennedy knocked down two free throws at the 14:52 mark.

South Carolina's lead remained between 8-11 points over the next six minutes. With South Carolina leading by 10 points with 10:07 left in the second half, the 49ers scored six unanswered points capped off by a free throw from Ashley Spriggs which cut Gamecocks lead to four points, 60-56, at the 7:49 mark.

The Gamecocks scored four straight points pushing their lead to eight points, 64-56, with 6:15 left in the game.

Charlotte cut South Carolina's lead to three points, 74-71, after Jones knocked down a three and Jabrenta Hubbard connected on a layup with 20 seconds left in the game.

South Carolina's Demetress Adams connected on two free throws pushing the Gamecocks lead back to five points. A layup by Burgin cut the 49ers deficit to three points with seven seconds left on the clock.

Kennedy concluded South Carolina's scoring when she connected on a layup after a long pass from C.J. Pace with five seconds remaining. Charlotte's Ray made the final score, 78-76, when she connected on a three at the buzzer from the corner.

The 49ers return to action when they host #7 Notre Dame in Halton Arena, Sunday, December 28 at 2 pm. The Charlotte-Notre Dame game will be nationally-televised on ESPNU.