ORANGEBURG, SC – Sophomore
Paris Alston had 10 points and eight rebounds, both game highs, to lead South Carolina State to a 63-34 victory over visiting Coker College Monday night at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
Trinese Fox and reserve
Brijan Turner added nine points each and
Tracey Flowers chipped in eight for the he Lady Bulldogs, who won their second in a row to level their record at 3-3.
Jasmine Alston and reserve Ashley Thompson had eight points each to lead Coker, which lost its eighth game in as many outings this season and its 12th consecutive contest dating back to last season.
The host Lady Bulldogs, who trailed 7-5 after the Cobras' Shanice Cooper dropped in a runner with 12:50 left in the opening half, went on a 14-0 run to build a 19-7 lead on a layup by Alston with 7:51 left in the period.
Alston got a layup for Coker to break the SC State run, but Coach Doug Robertson's team scored 14 of the game's next 17 points to take a 33-12 advantage to the locker room. The Lady Bulldogs were never threatened thereafter.
Coker, which lacked the size to keep up with the Lady Bulldogs, was limited to just 29.3 percent shooting from the field, connecting on just 12 of 41 attempts. SC State was only slightly better, hitting 22 of 64 attempts for a 34.4 percent accuracy from the field. The host Lady Bulldogs enjoyed a 48-32 advantage on the boards and had just nine turnovers to 21 for the visitors.
SC State returns to action Wednesday, when the Lady Bulldogs travel to Asheville, NC to face UNC Asheville in a 7 p.m. game. The contest will be the first of three straight road contests for Robertson's team, which plays at Savannah State on Dec. 20 and South Carolina Dec. 30, following a holiday break.
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