Despite a double-double from senior Katie O'Dell, the High Point women's basketball team fell to Coastal Carolina today, 62-51 at the Millis Athletic Center.

O'Dell led the Panthers (17-8, 8-4 Big South) with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Leslie Cook added nine points.

The Chanticleers (16-8, 6-6 Big South) had three players in double figures with Amber Rose leading with 18. Kim Turner added a double-double, 13 points and 14 rebounds while Alisha Dill had 13 points.

High Point opened the game with a three pointer from Candyce Sellars before Turner responded with a jumper for the Chants. Cook hit a jumper to pull the Panthers ahead by three again, but Coastal hit back-to-back baskets to take the one point lead and would stay ahead the rest of the half. CCU took their largest lead of the half (12 points) into the break.

"Got behind early, started fouling and got out-hustled in every aspect of the game during the first half especially on loose balls and rebounds," said head coach Tooey Loy. No one really moved off the ball in the first half, no one worked hard to get open during the first half."

The Chanticleers came out strong in the second half, opening with 10-to-4 run to take the 39-21 lead. HPU would respond with four straight baskets to cut the lead to 11. Coastal would go on another run outscoring the Panthers 15-to-4 over the next five minutes to take their largest lead of the game with 22 (32-54). High Point again rallied to pull within 11 in the final minute, but would never get closer.

This is the third conference loss for the Panthers in as many games.
 

"We've hit rock bottom right now, no one on this team expected to loose three conference games in a row," said Loy. "I got onto them in the time outs in the first part of the second half when we fell behind by so much. On the positive side we came out and played hard during the last six minutes."

Coastal Carolina out-rebounded High Point 44-to-40.

The Panthers return to the court on Wednesday, March 1 when they host Charleston Southern. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in the Millis Athletic Center.