CHARLESTON, S.C. – Visiting UNC Asheville broke free from a tie with just over two minutes left in the second quarter and never looked back, keeping Charleston Southern at enough distance to hand the Buccaneers a 59-47 setback Sunday afternoon in Big South women's basketball action inside the Buc Dome.

NEAR DOUBLE-DOUBLE, PART I
Sharita Godfrey shined on both ends of the floor for the Bucs, nearly recording her third career double-double, and first of the season, with nine points and a game-best 13 rebounds, 12 of which came on the defensive glass. The baker's dozen effort on the boards not only established a new career high for the senior but it helped CSU win the overall team battle, 43-to-39.

NEAR DOUBLE-DOUBLE, PART II
Joining her in the oh-so-close double-double performance category was Alyssia Faye. Faye also hit double-figure caroms with 10, nine of which were defensive, but also dropped in eight points. She handed out a team-best three assists, joining Godfrey and Sha'Mya Leigh as Buccaneers with multiple distributions.

LEIGH RETURNS TO LEAD SCORING
Leigh, who missed Wednesday's clash at Presbyterian, was back in her familiar role in the starting lineup and it paid dividends for Charleston Southern (1-15, 1-4 Big South). She finished as the team's leading scorer with 13 points, while her and Madison Adamson were the only Bucs with a steal. Leigh played the full 40 minutes for the first time since the home opener against George Mason, Nov. 16, and her third career contest without stepping off the floor.

FAST START
CSU jumped out of the gates by shooting 6-of-10 (60.0 percent) through the opening 10 minutes, while holding the Bulldogs to only 22.2 percent on 4-of-18 in the period. However, UNC Asheville (7-9, 2-3 Big South) started to find its rhythm in the second frame, dropping in 7-of-17 (41.2 percent) on its way to taking a four-point lead at the intermission.

UP NEXT
The Buccaneers return to the road for another midweek contest, traveling across the state line to Greensboro, North Carolina, to meet North Carolina A&T at 6 p.m. Wednesday. It will be the last away game until the final contest of the month, at Hampton.