HIGH POINT, N.C. – #4 Charleston Southern fell to #5 Presbyterian in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hercules Tires Big South Championship by a final score of 54-51 on Thursday afternoon.
The Buccaneers got the opening basket of the game off a jumper late in the shot clock by
Kennedi Jackson. The teams traded the lead for the rest of the first quarter, but the Bucs took a 14-13 lead and had a pair of blocks by
Madison Adamson in the final 30 seconds to secure the edge after the opening 10 minutes.
In the second quarter, the Blue Hose were able to get ahead and used a late 8-0 scoring run to carry a 27-23 lead going into the break.
At the start of the second half, both teams got off to incredibly hot starts scoring at ease with each going 6-9 from the floor. The Bucs were able to cut into the deficit late in the quarter bringing the score to 41-39 after a made layup by
Saniya Jones. The Blue Hose were able to get a pair of buckets in the final minutes and push their lead to the biggest of the game at 46-39.
Charleston Southern got the first punches in during the fourth quarter, scoring on each of their first three possessions, tying the game up at 46 apiece with
Shimei Muhammad scoring on a putback and three-pointer after that.
Kennedi Jackson was the one to bring it back even on a midrange jumper off an Adamson assist.
The Buccaneers' defense was able to hold Presbyterian without a field goal for the first six and a half minutes of the quarter. A few trips to the free throw line helped the Blue Hose stay ahead. CSU cut their deficit back to just a two-point margin at 50-48, but back-to-back buckets by PC put them up 54-48 with just over a minute to play.
Charleston Southern clawed their way back into it in the final minute, scoring a field goal and going 1-2 at the free throw line, putting them behind by three. The Bucs forced three turnovers from Presbyterian in that final minute with most coming off the inbound pass following a PC timeout. The Bucs were unable to make a shot on the final possession of the game to drop the contest.
Muhammed led the team in scoring with 12 points while Adamson and Jackson each had 10.
Jordan Berry led all players in assists with her five. Adamson had the team-high in rebounds and steals with seven and four.
The loss ends the 2023-2024 season for the Charleston Southern Buccaneers with a final record of 11-19 while they finished with an 8-8 record in the Big South.
