In their second postseason appearance since 2019, the Coastal Carolina women’s basketball team ended their season with a narrow 57-55 loss to Campbell University in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The two teams faced off on March 20th at 6 p.m at the HTC Center.
Alancia Ramsey’s missed final shot, which would have tied the game, sealed the defeat.
Despite strong performances by lead guard Savannah Brooks and lead forward Ramsey, the Chanticleers’ downfall was largely due to their struggles from beyond the arc. Their first successful 3-pointer didn’t come until the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. As a team, Coastal shot a staggering 2 for 18 from 3-point range, with both coming from guard Kristin Williams.
At halftime, the Chanticleers were in control, leading 26-18 after an impressive first half on both sides of the court. Brooks had 4 points, five rebounds, and two assists by the break, while guard Jayden Marable added 6 points and five rebounds. Coastal’s defense held Campbell in check, limiting their top scorers, sophomore guard Jessica Woods and freshman guard Ciarra Alexander, to just 4 points each.
Toward the second half of the game, the Chanticleers offensive struggles only progressed with a shooting slump, and allowed Campbell to chip away at the 8-point deficit. The Fighting Camels slowly took control of the game, having key contributions from freshman forward Courtney Delaquist, who finished with 12 points, and sophomore guard Hadleigh Dill, who added 10 points and two rebounds. Campbell’s accurate shooting, defensive authority and excellent free-throw performance (11 for 12 made) eventually drove them to victory.
As the final minutes approached, Campbell began to pull away, but Coastal refused to give up.
CCU’s Williams came to narrow the gap with two late 3-pointers. With less than a minute remaining, Campbell’s junior guard Gemma Nunez sank two clutch free throws to retake the lead. Coastal had one last opportunity with under 10 seconds left, but Ramsey’s attempt to force overtime missed– sealing the Fighting Camels’ win.
With the loss, the Chanticleers’ season came to an end with a 23-9 record. This defeat, along with their earlier loss to top-seeded James Madison University in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals, marked a close to their campaign.
Campbell, now 22-12, continues its postseason run.
After suffering a loss to The College of William & Mary in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Finals, which cost them a spot in the NCAA March Madness tournament, the Fighting Camels have found new life in the WNIT. Their next challenge will be the University of Southern Indiana as they aim to keep their season alive.
