CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Lakeitha Alston's layup with two seconds left in overtime broke a tie game and gave Charleston Southern an 80-78 win over Furman in the 2011-12 season opener for both teams Friday evening at Buccaneer Fieldhouse.

Alston's game winning shot followed her offensive rebound of a missed layup by teammate Helen Terry. Furman (0-1) had tied the game at 78-78 on a jump shot by Teshia Griswold with 12 seconds remaining.

The Paladins' Raegan Thompson connected with a 3-pointer on the game's final possession, but after official review it was determined the shot had left Thompson's hand after time had expired.

Furman's Lashana Booker poured in a career high 29 points to claim game high scoring honors, making good on 10-of-11 field goals, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 6-of-7 free throws. She also claimed seven rebounds. Thompson followed with 16 points and seven board, and Griswold finished with 14 points.

Rachelle Coward led Charleston Southern (1-0) with 22 points, and Alston added 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Furman shot a blistering 57.4 percent from the field and registered a 40-30 rebounding advantage, but 35 turnovers doomed the Paladins.

A Griswold free throw with 14 seconds left in regulation gave Furman a 71-68 lead, but the junior guard missed a second attempt following a Buccaneer timeout. CSU's Erin Bratcher claimed the rebound and fed Rachelle Coward, who connected with a 3-pointer with three seconds left in the second half to send the game into overtime.

Furman, which never trailed in the second half, appeared to have the game in hand after a Griswold 3-pointer gave the Paladins a 67-58 lead with 4:16 remaining. Charleston Southern rallied, however, putting together an 8-0 run behind four free throws by Shay Jones, a layup by Coward, and two free throws by Alston with 1:42 to go to slice Furman's lead to 67-66.

Raegan Thompson ended the run with a 3-pointer at the 1:09 mark to give the Paladins a 70-66 lead, but a CSU miss followed by a Furman turnover and foul led to a pair of free throws by Jones, which pulled the Buccaneers to within two at 70-68 with 26 seconds showing on the clock. A foul on CSU put Griswold at the line, where she converted the front end of the one-and-one before missing the second, setting up Coward's game tying 3-pointer.

In overtime Thompson's 3-pointer eight second into the extra period put Furman up 74-71,but Charleston Southern responded with layups by Coward and Alston, whose basket with 3:17 to go put the Buccaneers up, 75-74, for the first time since the first half.

Furman returns to action on Tuesday against Presbyterian in Clinton. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.