FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Fayetteville State women's basketball battled until the final buzzer but came up short in a 58-49 loss to Coker inside Capel Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Broncos (3-1) showed resilience with a late surge, but an early second-half deficit proved too much to overcome.

Talia Trotter paced FSU with 14 points and three steals, sparking a fourth-quarter rally that brought the home crowd to its feet. Alivia Evans added nine points and two steals, while KaNyah O'Neal chipped in eight points and matched the defensive intensity with two steals of her own.

The Broncos' bench provided a boost, contributing 17 points, and the team dominated the offensive glass with 16 rebounds, converting them into 13 second-chance points. Defensively, FSU forced 18 turnovers, turning those miscues into 25 points, and recorded six blocks to keep the Cobras uncomfortable all game.

Fayetteville State started strong, building an 11-5 lead in the first quarter behind aggressive play in the paint. However, Coker flipped the momentum in the second period, sending the Broncos into halftime trailing 27-20. The deficit widened in the third quarter as the Cobras stretched their lead to 46-29.

Refusing to fold, the Broncos mounted a furious comeback in the fourth. Down 48-34, FSU ripped off a 9-0 run, capped by a Trotter three-pointer, to pull within five at 48-43 with just over three minutes remaining. Despite the surge, Coker answered with timely baskets to seal the win.

Fayetteville State held Coker to 28.6% shooting and showed grit on both ends, but the comeback fell short. Kelis Carmon led the Broncos on the boards with six rebounds.