JANUARY 11, 1999

RELEASE: UPON RECEIPT

CHARLES LEADS LADY PALADINS TO 90-69 VICTORY OVER APPALACHIAN STATE

GREENVILLE, South Carolina -- Furman point guard Tara Charles set career highs for points and assists Tuesday night in leading the Lady Paladins to a 90-69 victory over Southern Conference foe Appalachian State at Timmons Arena.

Charles was seven-for-eight from the field, two-for-two from three point range and two-for-two from the line in scoring a career-high 18 points. In addition, she dished off a team-high nine assists and also claimed a team-high four steals. In addition, senior Jackie Smith scored 21 points to lead the Furman offensive effort, while Torrie Scott added a career-high 18, and Mary Brock added 12.

"Tara is playing her best basketball right now. She is poised, composed, and not letting anything shake her," said head coach Sherry Carter. "She is realizing her role is to make everyone else look like a million dollars., and that is what we need from our point guard."

After a shaky start by the Paladins that saw ASU take an early14-4 lead, Furman regrouped and outscored the Mountaineers 15-4 in the next five minutes to take a 19-18 lead at the 10:13 mark. The Lady Paladins continued to extend the lead and took a 44-35 advantage into the halftime locker room after shooting 55.2% in the first period.

Overall, Furman shot 57.1% from the field on the night, while holding ASU to 34.4%. The Lady Paladins also shot two-for-four from three point range and 16-for-19 from the free throw line. With the win, the Lady Paladins improved to 7-7 overall and 3-2 in the Southern Conference, while Appalachian State fell to 6-8 overall and 2-3 in the league.