CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — The College of Charleston women’s basketball team used a dominant second-quarter run and a commanding performance on the glass to secure an 80-65 victory over crosstown rival Charleston Southern on Friday afternoon at TD Arena.

In front of a crowd of 3,617, the Cougars improved to 2-0 on the young season, while the Buccaneers fell to 0-2.

The game was a tale of two halves within a half. Charleston Southern, led by the sharp shooting of Asha Sra, started strong and held a narrow 15-13 lead late in the first quarter. However, the Cougars closed the period on a 5-0 run to take an 18-15 lead and never looked back.

The second quarter proved decisive. College of Charleston exploded for 24 points, capitalizing on a series of Buccaneer turnovers to build a substantial lead. The Cougars outscored Charleston Southern 21-3 in points off turnovers for the game, a key factor in the outcome. By halftime, the home team had stretched its lead to 42-33.

A major disparity came on the offensive boards, where College of Charleston hauled in 24 offensive rebounds compared to just six for Charleston Southern. This relentless effort created numerous second-chance opportunities and allowed the Cougars to maintain control despite shooting just 36.4 percent from the field.

Grace Ezebilo was a force in the paint for the Cougars, pulling down a game-high 18 rebounds to go with 13 points. The Barbot sisters, Taryn and Taylor, orchestrated the offense and filled the stat sheet. Taryn Barbot led all scorers with 22 points and added eight rebounds, while Taylor Barbot recorded a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Tyja Beans also chipped in 19 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars.

Charleston Southern was led by Asha Sra, a guard from Fresno, California, who scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Alaina Nettles of Summerville, South Carolina, posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while also dishing out a team-high four assists. Thelma Barbitch, from Paris, France, added nine points for the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers managed to outshoot the Cougars from the field, 41.4 percent to 36.4 percent, and were more efficient from three-point range, hitting 11 of 28 attempts. However, they could not overcome the Cougars’ significant advantages in rebounding and points off turnovers.

College of Charleston maintained its double-digit lead throughout the second half, with the Buccaneers unable to mount a sustained comeback, as the Cougars sealed the 15-point victory.

The game was part of a challenging early-season stretch for Charleston Southern, which lost in overtime to Jacksonville in its season opener. College of Charleston entered the contest after a record-setting 135-point performance against Covenant in its first game.