The Basics
Score: Charleston Southern 74 – No. 18 North Carolina 93
Record: CSU (2-10, 0-0 Big South) – UNC (11-3, 1-0 ACC)
Location: Carmichael Arena
 
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Charleston Southern women's basketball team fell on the road to No. 18 North Carolina, 93-74, on Sunday afternoon at Carmichael Arena.

The Buccaneers turned in one of their most competitive stretches of the season, highlighted by a dominant second half and a career performance from Tyonna Bailey. Bailey poured in a career-high 31 points to lead all scorers. CSU came out firing after halftime, outscoring the Tar Heels 24-20 in the third quarter and 25-23 in the fourth.

Charleston Southern opened the game with early energy, trading baskets with North Carolina in the opening minutes. The Tar Heels, however, closed the period with a 23-13 advantage. North Carolina extended its lead in the second quarter, using an 11-0 scoring run to push the margin to double digits. The Tar Heels outscored the Buccaneers 27-12 in the period, taking a 50-25 lead into halftime.

The Buccaneers delivered their best stretch of the game coming out of the locker room. Led by 15 points from Bailey, Charleston Southern outscored North Carolina 24-20 in the third quarter. Charleston Southern continued to battle in the final period, matching UNC's intensity and posting 25 points in the quarter. North Carolina ultimately closed out the game with key three pointers and free throws securing the 93-74 victory.

Box Score Highlights
Charleston Southern Individuals:

• Tyonna Bailey: 31 points, 9 rebounds, 9-18 FG, 4-6 3PT
• Caelan Ellis: 18 points, 5-7 3PT

North Carolina Individuals:

• Nyla Brooks: 19 points, 6-12 3PT
• Elina Aarnisalo: 16 points
• Indya Nivar: 14 points

Team Stats
Charleston Southern finished the contest shooting 24-53 (45.3%) from the field and 12-23 (52.2%) from three-point range, marking its best perimeter shooting performance of the season. The Buccaneers were led by Tyonna Bailey's career-high 31 points and totaled 13 assists on 24 made field goals. Charleston Southern outscored North Carolina 49-43 in the second half. North Carolina, however, held advantages in points in the paint (32-20) and fast-break points (19-0), while also forcing 15 CSU turnovers, converting those miscues into 19 points.

Turning Point
North Carolina created decisive separation during the second quarter, using a 11-0 run to turn a single-digit game into a double-digit margin. After CSU trailed by just eight early in the period, the Tar Heels' run pushed the lead to 25 points at halftime (50-25). Although Charleston Southern responded with its strongest quarter of the game in the third - outscoring UNC behind Bailey's scoring surge - the second-quarter run proved too large to overcome.
 
Key Stats & Notes

• Tyonna Bailey put together a career day for the Bucs. She set career-high in points (31), field goals made (9), and free throws made (9). She also tied her career-high in rebounds with nine.
• Bailey's 31 points are the most by a CSU player since Rachelle Coward's 32-point outing against Coastal Carolina in 2012.
• Caelan Ellis reached double figures for the ninth time this season and set a new career-high with 18 points.
• Freshman Aïssé Coulibaly earned her first career start today.
• CSU recorded three blocks as a team for the third time this year. 

Up Next
The Buccaneers return to the court after the Christmas holiday on Monday, December 29 at 12:00 p.m. against Georgia in Athens.

For the latest information on CSU women's basketball, follow @CSUBucsWBB on X and Instagram or go to www.CSUSports.com.