ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Tierra Steede scored nine points over the final ten minutes of the game and Sharita Godfrey was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line down the stretch as Charleston Southern topped host UNC Asheville in Big South play on Tuesday night, 60-48.
 
With the score tied up at 39-39 after the first three quarters of play, CSU (3-12, 1-5 Big South) outscored the Bulldogs (11-5, 5-2 Big South) 21-9 in the decisive fourth quarter. The Bucs defense stifled the Asheville offensive attack throughout the majority of the game and limited UNC Asheville to just a 17.6% shooting percentage down the stretch in picking up their first conference win of the season.
 
Steede put in the go-ahead basket on the Bucs' first possession of the fourth quarter and Carmella Walker followed with a three-pointer to give the Bucs the 44-39 lead with 8:35 remaining. The Bucs continued their run with a Steede layup to go up seven before Kia Carter's three-pointer ended the 7-0 run and put the Bulldogs on the board.
 
Carter followed with another triple to cut the CSU lead down to 46-45 with 4:53 remaining as Asheville narrowed the gap back to within one point. Ahlea Myers responded with a three-pointer from the right wing, before Steede connected on her biggest shot of the game with a three-pointer off an open look from the left corner to put the Bucs ahead 52-45 with 3:00 left on the clock.
 
Asheville narrowed the Bucs lead down to five points following a Sonora Dengokl three-pointer with 1:27 remaining, but Steede and Godfrey connected on 7-of-9 free throws down the stretch to secure the Buccaneers win.
 
Godfrey led three Buccaneers in double-digits with 13 points and added eight rebounds in the win. Walker added 12 points and completed her first collegiate double-double with 10 rebounds, while Steede posted 12 points and five boards. Myers chipped in eight points and five boards off the bench.
 
Asheville's Brooke Jordan-Brown paced all scorers in the game with 14 points and 17 rebounds (nine offensive), while Dengokl added 10 points and 10 rebounds to complete the double-double. Nadiria Evans (10) and Carter (10) also chipped in double-digit scoring efforts.
 
First Quarter – Charleston Southern 11, UNC Asheville 11
Walker scored eight of CSU's 11 points over the first 10 minutes as the Bucs and Bulldogs sat knotted up at 11-11 following the first quarter. Asheville held the 9-5 lead with 6:01 remaining in the first quarter following a Jordan-Brown layup, but the Bucs scored six of the final eight points of the frame with. Kelsie Ruff and Sha'Mya Leigh both connecting from the free throw line to tie the game up at the break.
 
Second Quarter – UNC Asheville 22, Charleston Southern 21
The second quarter belonged to Myers and Tyra Wright as the CSU duo combined for all 10 of the Bucs points as CSU went into the half trailing by one. The Bucs held the 19-16 lead following a Wright basket with 46 seconds remaining and Myers put CSU back ahead by two with 12 ticks left on the clock. However, back-to-back Evans' three-pointers, including one at the buzzer gave UNC Asheville the 22-21 lead at the half.
 
Third Quarter – Charleston Southern 39, UNC Asheville 39
Godfrey and Gittens put together 13 of CSU's 18 points in the third quarter as the Bucs led by as many as six points before a late Asheville rally tied the game at the end of the frame. CSU went ahead 37-31 following a Leigh free throw with 2:18 remaining in the quarter for one of their largest leads of the game at that point. The Bulldogs rallied back from the free throw line hitting their final six attempts from the stripe, while Dengokl added a short jumper to tie the game up following the 6-2 run.
 
Fourth Quarter – Charleston Southern 60, UNC Asheville 48
The Bucs scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter and rode the hot-hand of Steede and Godfrey down the stretch in pulling away from the Bulldogs. CSU held Asheville scoreless over the first 4:33 of the decisive fourth quarter and the Bucs never trailed in the frame on their way to recording the Big South win.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Charleston Southern shot 36.5% (19-of-52) from the floor, 35.3% (6-of-17) from the three-point line, and 66.7% (16-of-24) from the free throw line in the win.
• UNC Asheville shot 20.0% (13-of-65) from the floor, 20.0% (5-of-25) from the three-point line, and 60.7% (17-of-28) from the free throw line in the loss.
• CSU took the 17-10 advantage in scoring off turnovers and 19-10 advantage in bench scoring in the game.
• The Bucs also took the 16-14 edge on points in the paint and 13-5 advantage in fast-break points.
• UNC Asheville led the way in second-chance points outscoring the Bucs 15-2.
• The Bulldogs held the 54-39 rebounding edge in the game.
• CSU forced 14 Asheville turnovers.

News & Notes

• CSU improved to 30-38 all-time in the series against UNC Asheville with Tuesday's win.
• The Bucs have won two of their last three against the Bulldogs.
• Sharita Godfrey recorded her ninth double-digit scoring effort of the season and marked back-to-back double-digit scoring games following her 22 points on Saturday against High Point.
• Godfrey also converted a season-high five free throws in the win.
• Walker ran her double-digit scoring streak to three consecutive games as the junior guard recorded her ninth 10-plus point effort of the season.
• Walker's double-double was CSU's third of the season joining Asia Smith (14pts-12rebs vs. Virginia Lynchburg) and Tierra Steede (14pts-11rebs vs. Gardner-Webb).
• Steede's 12-point effort was her fourth double-digit scoring game of the 2019-20 season.
• The Bucs held the Bulldogs to a 20.0% field goal percentage, marking the second time CSU limited an opponent under 25.0% shooting in the 2019-20 season.
• The 20.0% shooting percentage for the Bulldogs marked the lowest since CSU held Trinity Baptist to a 17.9% (10-of-56) percentage back on January 16, 2014.
• The Bucs have made exactly six three-pointers in each of the last three games.

Up Next
Charleston Southern is back at home this weekend as the Buccaneers welcome Hampton University to the Buccaneer Field House on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff between the Bucs and the Pirates is set for 3 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to receive a CSU "Bucky" pop-socket at the door while supplies last.