The Basics
Score: Charleston Southern 53 – South Carolina State 51
Record: CSU (1-4) – SCST (2-4)
Location: Buccaneer Fieldhouse

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Southern women's basketball team earned its first victory of the season in storybook fashion Saturday evening, taking down South Carolina State 53-51 inside a packed-out Buc Dome. With the game tied and one second left on the clock, Caelan Ellis drove down the lane and finished a tough left-handed game-winning layup.

The Buccaneers thrived off the energy of an electric home crowd of 862 fans, opening the game on a 9–0 run. CSU held off multiple SC State surges, including a nine-point second-half deficit, before storming back with a 17-point fourth quarter to set up the dramatic finish.
 
Ellis shined in the moment, pouring in a career-high 16 points—11 of which came in the second half and five of which came in the final minute, including a go-ahead three at :57 that set the stage for her heroic final drive
 
Box Score Highlights
Charleston Southern Individuals:

• Caelan Ellis: 16 points, 2 rebounds, game-winning layup
• Asha Sra: 11 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
• Tyonna Bailey: 12 points, 6 rebounds

South Carolina State Individuals:

• Angie Juste-Jean: 11 points
• Iemyiah Harris: 10 points

Key Team Stats
Charleston Southern shot 20-of-59 (34%) from the floor and connected on five three-pointers, while holding off SC State's 23-of-64 (36%) shooting effort. The Buccaneers generated 28 points in the paint and added seven second-chance points behind 14 offensive rebounds, battling through a physical night on the glass. CSU forced 15 turnovers and turned them into key momentum swings, while adding five fast-break points in pivotal stretches of the contest.
 
Turning Point
With the game tied at 51–51, Coach White drew up one final possession out of a timeout. The ball found Ellis, who attacked downhill and finished a driving layup with :01 left, giving the Bucs the lead and sending the Buc Dome into eruption. SC State's last-second heave missed, sealing CSU's first win of the year in thrilling fashion.
 
Key Stats & Notes

• Ellis scored a career-high 16 points, including five in the final minute, capped by the game-winning layup.
• Sra finished in double digits (11 points) for the third time this season.
• Nettles recorded 10 rebounds for the second time this year, finishing one point shy of a double-double.
• CSU moves to a perfect 3-0 against the Bulldogs under Coach White. 

Up Next
Charleston Southern returns to action on Tuesday, November 25 against Georgia Southern at 5:00 p.m. inside Buccaneer Fieldhouse.

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