CHARLESTON, S.C. - Three players scored in double figures to lead NCAA Division II Anderson (S.C.) University to a 65-49 win over College of Charleston on Thursday night at TD Arena.
The Cougars (5-4) struggled offensively throughout the game as the Trojans (7-2) shot 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from the field and held CofC to a season-low 33.3 field-goal percentage (16-of-48). The defeat marked the first to a non-Division I opponent since a 70-67 loss to Belmont Abbey on Dec. 8, 2001, under former CofC head coach John Kresse.
Playing without two preseason All-Southern Conference performers in starting senior point guard Andrew Lawrence and junior forward Trent Wiedeman, the Cougars turned the ball over 19 times against the Anderson defense, and only hit 11 free throws despite 21 trips to the line.
However, the Cougars outrebounded Anderson, 39-32, grabbing 18 on the offensive end.
CofC was led by another double-double performance from sophomore big man Adjehi Baru, who tallied 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. It was Baru's second-straight double-double and fourth game with 10-or-more rebounds this season.
Junior reserve Nori Johnson scored 10 points with two three-pointers, and senior Matt Sundberg tallied nine points and five rebounds in his fifth career start.
The Trojans' Chandler Hash led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three-point land. Denzail Jones scored 17 points and former Citadel player Bo Holston tallied 11.
CofC's only lead of the game came courtesy of Sundberg, who hit a three-pointer at the 17:21 minute mark of the first half, 3-2. The Trojans led by as many as 16 at the 7:16 minute mark, before Charleston started chipping away before the break.
Freshman Theo Johnson hit a three-pointer with 1:07 left on the clock and Baru slammed home an alley-oop pass from sophomore Anthony Stitt to cut the lead to just 35-30. However, the Trojans made a tip-in as time expired to lead 37-30 at halftime.
The Cougars' offensive fire slowed in the first 10 minutes of the second half, as Charleston managed just six points and two field goals and fell behind 49-36. The Trojans continued to extend the lead, eventually going up 59-38 with only 5:46 left in regulation. The Cougars shot just 6-of-28 from the field and 6-of-13 from the free throw line in the second half, allowing Anderson to pull away for good.
CofC continues its post-final exams homestand with Old Dominion on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena.