CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern kept their playoff hopes alive with a 63-57 win over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Thursday, at the CSU Field House. The Bucs had their third consecutive game holding a team under 60 points, going 2-1 in those games. With the win CSU improves to 9-19 with a 4-13 Big South record, while CCU drops to 11-18 and 5-12 in the conference.

Joel Lamb led the way with a game high 17 points and career high 11 rebounds. Tovi Bailey had 15 points on 6-12 shooting, including two big threes late in the game. Omar Carter and Jamarco Warren also chipped in with 11 points apiece. CCU was kept in the game by Mario Edwards who had 13 points and 3 deep threes.

The Bucs opened up with a three to take an early lead, but the Chanticleers responded with a10-2 run over the first five minutes. Lamb however, kept CSU in the game with 11 out of the first 13 points for the Bucs. A Lamb jumper gave CSU a 14-12 advantage at the 10:22 mark.

There were four ties and six lead changes in the first half, but the Bucs took control with 9-0 run, started by 5 straight Carter points. Two Warren free throws gave CSU a 27-19 lead with 3:02 on the clock.

After another Carter rebound and finish, CCU managed 6 unanswered points to end the half. The Bucs went into the locker room with a 29-27 lead after holding the Chanticleers to just 30 percent shooting from the floor and 15 percent from behind the arc.

CCU scored at the start of the second half, but a Warren three put CSU up 32-29 in the first minute of play. The Bucs surrendered their lead for a moment, but came right back with a 7-0 run to take a 43-37 lead with 11:41 on the clock.

CSU traded baskets for several possessions, but a Tovi Bailey three helped to tie the biggest lead of the game, pushing the advantage out to a 50-42 score with at the 6:04 mark.

Bailey scored his 15th point at a big moment, tying his career high and giving the Bucs a 57-49 lead with 2:10 left on the clock. Both Warren and Carter calmly hit their foul shots, but a CCU three, a CSU turnover, and a CCU dunk make it a two points game with 22 seconds remaining in the game. Warren hit two more foul shots to seal the deal, taking a four point lead before a final score of 63-59.

An emotional senior night saw two great Buccaneers play their last game in CSU Field House. Giedrius Knysas played 27 minutes and finshed with 4 points, while JT Knight had 7 assists, 1 rebound and 1 steal.

CSU will finish out the regular season at Gardner-Webb on Saturday, February 28th, at 7 p.m. If the Bucs win Saturday, they could win the final playoff seed outright, however there is still a chance that CSU could enter the Big South Tourney in a tiebreaker situation.