Second Half Drought Dooms Cobras

Hartsville, SC – Coker College fell 64-55 to Mt. Olive in the first round of the CVAC Tournament Monday night in women’s collegiate basketball.  A second half offensive drought put the Cobras down 14 points with seven minutes to play, which proved to be too much to overcome.  Coker finishes the season at 11-16 on the year but the Trojans advance with a 7-21 record to play Longwood in Farmville, VA on Wednesday.

The two teams battled back and forth in the first half with neither team taking more than a five point lead in the period.  Mt. Olive made the last run and took a 28-27 lead into the break.

The Trojans took it right to Coker from the outset in the second period and pushed the lead to 11 points in the first six minutes.  The Cobras offensive struggles continued for 13 minutes after the break as the Mt. Olive outscored CC 23-9 in the span. Coker managed only 28 percent from the field in the second period, allowing the Trojans to feast on the defensive glass. MOC out-rebounded the Cobras 51-42, including 34 rebounds on the defensive end.

Coker did pull within six points with a 1:35 to play but didn’t make another basket until Lou Brunson’s layup with 1.5 seconds remaining on the clock.

Junior Shamae Hemingway was the high scorer for the Cobras with 13 points and eight rebounds.  Classmate Leanne Chandler recorded her 10^th double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds.  Junior Selena Davis finished with seven points, four rebounds and four assists.

Ladora Charles tallied 21 points, four rebounds and three assists to lead Mt. Olive.  Tanika Hudgins contribured 12 points and seven boards and Shenetta Moye added another 10 points.  Taneal Boone came off the bench to grab 12 reobunds with Nikki Bowen and Latoria Harvey in foul trouble.  Boone was a difference maker for the Trojans against Coker’s big front line.

Coker’s 11 wins nearly tripled last year’s victory total, and the Cobras hosted a CVAC Tournament game for the first time in four years.  Coker returns 10 of 11 players for the 2003-04 season and a strong recruiting class will only help the veteran team.