TOWSON, Md. – A huge first quarter allowed the College of Charleston to hold off a late run by the Towson University women's basketball team and claim an 80-67 win on Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action. Senior forward Mary Cuevas finished with 21 points, her third straight 20+ point game, to lead the Tigers.  

THE BASICS
College of Charleston 80, Towson 67
SECU Arena, Towson, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Towson scored the first points of the game as sophomore guard Etalyia Vogt drained a three-pointer at 9:47 to open the game.
• However College of Charleston responded with a 16-0 run that was capped by a pair of free throws from Shiclasia Brown at 4:43. Deja Ford had seven points during that run for the Cougars.
• The two teams battled on both ends of the court before redshirt senior guard Raine Bankston connected on a lay-up with three seconds to go in the period for the final points.
• The Cougars took a 28-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.
• Towson scored five of the first seven points in the second quarter. Freshman forward Tess Borgosz had pair of free throws during that stretch.
• The Cougars pushed their lead to 18, 32-14 as Baileigh Larson hit a lay-up at 5:37.
• Towson closed the quarter on a 7-2 run as the College of Charleston took a 34-21 lead at the half. Cuevas tallied four points during that scoring stretch.
• The two teams traded baskets to start the third quarter as Bankston's lay-up at 8:02 made it a 38-25 game.
• College of Charleston pushed its lead back to 17, 46-29 as Brown made a pair of free throws at 4:11.
• The Tigers closed the third quarter on an 11-6 run and cut their deficit to 12, 52-40 after three periods of play. Cuevas had four points during that scoring spurt.
• The Cougars scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and took a 57-40 lead with 8:58 to play.
• Towson scored 12 of the next 16 points and cut the Cougars' lead to nine, 61-52 with 6:21 left on the clock. Bankston and sophomore forward Nukiya Mayo each had four points during that stretch.
• The College of Charleston pushed its lead back to 11, 63-52 with 6:04 to go in the game.
• The Tigers scored four straight points and six of the next eight points and pulled to within seven, 65-58 with 4:17 showing on the clock.
• The two teams traded points over the next several minutes.
• The College of Charleston went 9-for-10 from the foul line in the final minute to secure the 80-67 win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• College of Charleston shot 52.9 percent from the field and was 22-for-24 from the foul line. Towson posted a 32.4 field goal percentage and was 17-for-27 from the charity stripe.
• The Tigers won the rebounding battle for the 12th time in 13 games. Towson finished with 45 rebounds to the Cougars' 38 boards.
• Cuevas had a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds. It was her third straight game with 20 or more points and fourth of the season.
• Mayo posted her second straight double-double and third of the season as she contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds.
• Bankston was the third Tiger in double figures as she contributed 17 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
• Ford and Tanisha Brown led the College of Charleston with 20 points each.

The Tigers are back in action when they hit the road to visit James Madison on Friday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. Last year the Tigers swept the season series from the Dukes.