NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — Caelan Ellis hit a driving layup with one second remaining to lift Charleston Southern to a dramatic 53-51 victory over South Carolina State in a nonconference women’s basketball game on Saturday night at CSU Field House.

In a contest defined by defensive stops and offensive struggles, the Buccaneers erased a late deficit to secure their first win of the season, improving to 1-4. The Bulldogs, who led for much of the second half, fell to 2-4 with the heartbreaking loss.

The game was a back-and-forth affair that saw neither team lead by more than six points. Charleston Southern established an early 13-7 lead after the first quarter, but a dominant second-quarter defensive performance by South Carolina State flipped the script. The Bulldogs outscored the Buccaneers 15-6 in the period, holding them without a field goal for nearly seven minutes, to take a 22-19 lead into halftime.

South Carolina State extended its lead to five points on multiple occasions in the third quarter, but Charleston Southern’s offense began to find a rhythm, scoring 17 points in the frame to stay within striking distance, trailing 40-36 heading into the final period.

The Buccaneers finally reclaimed the lead midway through the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a tense finish. With the score tied at 51 and under 30 seconds to play, South Carolina State had a chance to hold for the final shot, but a missed three-pointer gave Charleston Southern possession with 15 seconds left. After a full timeout, Ellis took the inbounds pass, drove the length of the court and finished at the rim through traffic for the game-winning basket. A desperation three-pointer by South Carolina State’s Mya Byrd at the buzzer was off the mark.

Ellis, a guard from Powder Springs, Georgia, led all scorers with 16 points, including two critical three-pointers in the fourth quarter. She was supported by Tyonna Bailey, who added 12 points, and Asha Sra, who chipped in 11 points and four assists while orchestrating the offense for 39 minutes.

South Carolina State was led by a balanced scoring attack. Iemyiah Harris of Anniston, Alabama, posted 10 points and five assists, while Angie Juste-Jean of Montreal, Canada, also scored 11 points. Mya Byrd from Ashburn, Georgia, contributed nine points. The Bulldogs’ interior defense was anchored by 6-foot-3 freshman Heaven Harper from the Bronx, New York, who scored eight points and recorded two blocks.

Both teams struggled with their shooting throughout the game, but South Carolina State held a significant advantage in points in the paint, outscoring Charleston Southern 34-28. However, the Buccaneers capitalized on their opportunities down the stretch to secure the win in front of a crowd of 862.

The contest was the first of a four-game homestand for Charleston Southern, who will host Georgia Southern on Tuesday. South Carolina State continues a difficult road stretch with a game at UCF on Monday.