CHARLESTON, South Carolina – Redshirt junior guard GiGi Smith recorded her third double-double of the season and sophomore forward Paige Powell netted a career-high 16 points as UNCW closed the regular season with its third win in the last four games, a 66-62 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the College of Charleston at TD Arena on Friday evening.
 
The win upped the Seahawks' record to 18-11 overall and 11-7 in the CAA while Charleston fell to 7-22 overall and 3-15 against league foes.
 
Smith netted her seventh 20-point effort of the season after finishing with a game-high 20 points, including a 9-for-11 showing at the foul line, while grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. The Norfolk, Va., product also added two assists and three steals while playing a team-high 36 minutes.
 
Powell, meanwhile, knocked down 5-of-8 shots from the floor and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line en route to her fourth double-digit scoring effort of the year. She also grabbed seven rebounds in the victory as UNCW held a 45-35 advantage on the glass.
 
Junior guard Lacey Suggs added 14 points while junior guard Ahyiona Vason chipped in nine points with two steals.
 
Charleston, which lost its eighth consecutive game, was led by senior guard Darien Huff's 13 points while freshman guard Tyler Collins contributed 11 points and four assists. Freshman forward Arynn Eady and junior guard Cailin Dorsey each tallied 10 points in the loss.
 
Key Moment: Trailing by a 45-41 margin with 1:25 remaining in the third quarter, Vason scored seven straight points in the final 85 seconds to give the Seahawks a 48-45 lead they did not relinquish. UNCW led by as many as eight points in the final frame to close out its third straight win over the Cougars.
 
Up Next: UNCW begins its quest at the program's first Colonial Athletic Association title on Thursday, Mar. 14, with a quarterfinal contest at the CAA Championship in Newark, Del. The Seahawks' opponent and game time will be announced following the conclusion of Saturday's games.  

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