Charlotte’s Thrilling Duel Ends in Heartbreak Against South Florida in Overtime

TAMPA – Charlotte Women’s Basketball’s attempt to upset preseason American Athletic Conference frontrunner South Florida was unsuccessful, concluding with a score of 69-68 in overtime.

COACH’S CORNER

“Our girls came out and adhered to the strategy,” remarked coach Tomekia Reed. “We applied pressure defensively to restrict their primary scorers. Our entire team is proud of the players. The confidence was evident tonight. I witnessed our team mature this evening. They have faith in us and in each other. Minor errors during critical moments ultimately shaped the outcome. We will continue to compete and be a challenging adversary for everyone ahead.”

HOW IT OCCURRED

Keanna Rembert ignited the scoring with the initial six points of the contest, granting Charlotte an early advantage. 

Effective shooting from long range contributed to the Niners’ success in the first half. Caroline Thiel, Imani Smith, Kay Kay Green, and Aleix Andrews each sank one three-pointer. Charlotte led 15-8 after the first quarter. Overall, the team shot 48% (13-27) from the field in the opening half, with seven different players contributing to the score during the half, and ten throughout the entire game.

“Our offensive performance was commendable tonight for the most part,” stated Reed. “We relied on each player in various critical moments. Robust defense resulted in productive offense at times. We successfully utilized ball screens on their post players to exploit openings.”

PROTECT THE PAINT

In the initial half, Charlotte amassed five blocks, with Keanna Rembert at the forefront with two. Thiel, Jayla Kelly, and Tena Ikidi each recorded one block. South Florida encountered challenges offensively, shooting 3-for-19 in the first quarter and 11-34 for the entire first half (32.4%). Charlotte concluded the game with eight blocked shots, led by Ikidi’s three.

LATE RUN

With Charlotte leading 29-21 late in the second quarter, USF countered with an 11-0 scoring streak, taking the lead with eight points from Sammie Puisis during that stretch. Heading into halftime, USF held a 32-31 advantage after Kay Kay Green connected on a layup in the dying seconds.

FIGHT BACK

USF maintained that momentum into the third quarter, seizing a 50-42 lead with three minutes left. A midrange jumper from Andrews, a three-pointer from Nia Young, a putback layup by Thiel, and another mid-range jumper from Breland allowed Charlotte to claim the lead, completing a 9-0 scoring run and going up 51-50.

As the fourth quarter progressed, Jordan Peete attacked the basket with consecutive possessions, scoring two layups to extend the CLT lead to 61-55. Mama Dembele responded for the Golden Bulls with two free throws and a fastbreak layup following a steal.

With Charlotte ahead 63-61 and just 15 seconds remaining, Puisis delivered in a critical moment with a mid-range jumper, set up by Dembele, to tie the contest at 63 and send the game into overtime.

OVERTIME

Neither side managed to establish an offensive flow in the additional period. South Florida fought back to secure a five-point lead with 90 seconds remaining. Andrews kept Charlotte in the mix with her second three-pointer of the evening, followed by another layup on the next possession to tie the game at 68.

Puisis once again crafted a scoring opportunity. She drew a foul on a jumper defended by Madison Roshelle and was awarded free throws. Puisis converted the first free throw to give her team a one-point advantage, missing the second. After Coach Reed’s timeout, a last-second shot from Andrews ricocheted off the rim as USF escaped with a narrow victory, 69-68.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Rembert (15) and Andrews (12) each reached double digits for the Niners. Caroline Thiel made her first career start and logged a personal-best 33 minutes. Free throw shooting nearly cost the Golden Bulls as they converted just 15 of 29 attempts (51.7%).

“Caroline performed admirably in her expanded role today,” remarked Reed. “I was impressed by her readiness, self-belief, and significant contributions. We will count on her as the season progresses.”

NEXT UP

Charlotte returns home to Halton Arena on Saturday (Jan. 4) where they will face the Tulane Green Wave. The opening tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m., streaming live on ESPN+.