CONWAY, S.C. — A potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer by North Carolina Central University sophomore Rodneysha Martin missed its mark as the Coastal Carolina University women's basketball team escaped with a 68-65 win on Friday evening in the HTC Center.
 
Sophomore DJ Williams scored a game-high 21 points for the victorious Chanticleers, including two big free throws with 14.1 seconds left. Coastal Carolina moved over .500 at 5-4 with the triumph.
 
Martin paced the Eagles for a fifth time this season with 20 points. Sophomore Jada Blow nailed four 3-pointers on her way to a season-high 12 points.
 
Blow's fourth trey with 41 seconds to go on a nice feed pass to the left corner by Martin capped a late 7-0 rally by NCCU to pull within one point at 64-63. Sophomore Naheria Hamilton scored on a long inbounds pass by Williams to give Coastal a little wiggle room at 66-63, but a quick drive to the lane for a layup by freshman Kieche White once again inched the Eagles within one at 66-65 with 19.9 ticks remaining on the clock.
 
After a couple near steals and timeout calls, NCCU was forced to foul and Williams converted on both of her attempts to extend the hosts lead to three once again at 68-65. The made free throws helped recover from a shaky showing from the charity stripe for the Chants, who finished the contest 13-of-22 (59.1%).
 
NCCU decided to keep the ball on the perimeter on the ensuing possession for the prospective equalizing 3-pointer and Martin was finally able to get a try off at the final horn that was well contested, but the effort banked off the glass and slide past the front iron.
 
Coastal Carolina scored its first 14 points in the fourth quarter from inside and finished with a 36-14 surplus on points in the paint. The Chanticleers shot 54% for the game with 18 of their 27 field goals coming from close range.
 
Williams also led all players with eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Hamilton added 17 points and senior Jas Adams tallied 16 points.
 
McCain supplied the maroon and gray with seven points and a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Caira Benton bucketed eight points, swiped three steals and pulled down six boards as NCCU won the rebounding battle by a 34-29 margin. Junior Dominique Adams notched seven points and Martin handed out four assists.
 
A jumper by Benton and a layup by Martin gave NCCU an early lead at 4-3. The Chants scored the next 12 points to take the lead for the rest of the half at 15-4. Coastal led 26-12 after the first quarter by shooting 71.4-percent (10-14) from the floor and forcing NCCU into eight turnovers.
 
However, the Eagles protected the ball well in the second quarter with only three mistakes and the Chanticleers cooled off from the field. NCCU was able to outscored Coastal Carolina, 19-10, to cut the halftime deficit to five points at 36-31. McCain scored five points in the period and an old-fashion, three-point play by Martin inched NCCU to within one possession for a moment at 32-29.
 
Martin scored 12 consecutive NCCU points during a 15-7 rally to start the second half that propelled the Eagles back in front at 46-43. Blow then provided NCCU with its last lead, 51-50, with a trifecta with 33 seconds left in the third quarter. However, a late foul call and two made free throws by Coastal's Adams put the hosts back in front at the end of the period (52-51). The Chants scored the first six points of the fourth quarter and led throughout the final 10 minutes, despite NCCU's late comeback attempt.
 
The Eagles executed with precision from the free throw line, converting on 16 of their 18 attempts for scoring 88.9%. Martin (6-6), McCain (3-3), Adams (3-3) and Benton (2-2) were all perfect from 15-foot line.
 
NCCU (2-5 Overall) continues its six-game road swing in Ames, Iowa, to play Iowa State University on Sunday at 1 p.m. (Noon CST).