CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern's senior backcourt of Saah Nimley and Arlon Harper was at its best on Monday night at the Buc Dome. Nimley tallied a career-high 31 points, Harper scored 27 and CSU held off every Asheville second half charge to pick up an 82-75 win in a key early season Big South clash.

CSU (11-7, 5-2 Big South) received a huge effort from the sixth highest scoring four-year classmate combination in Big South history. The duo combined for 58 points on 19-of-36 shooting, including an 8-of-18 mark from three-point range. Asheville (8-9, 4-2 Big South) trailed wire-to-wire and came as close as two points twice in the final minute, but Nimley buried four big free throws and Cedrick Bowen threw down a dunk just in front of the buzzer to lift CSU to its fourth straight victory.

The Bucs needed all of that production to stave off Asheville (8-9, 4-2 Big South), particularly sophomore guard Andrew Rowsey. Rowsey posted 34 points and caught fire for 23 after halftime to rally the Bulldogs from a 13-point first half deficit. Nimley and Harper provided answer after answer, though, to send CSU to its eighth consecutive home victory.  

Rebounding was another big factor in CSU's ability to prevail. CSU pulled down 21 offensive rebounds and dominated a bigger Asheville team on the glass, out-rebounding the Bulldogs, 43-26. The Bucs' work on the boards accounted for a 25-12 advantage in second chance points.

"I thought our guys were excellent tonight," CSU head coach Barclay Radebaugh said. "We were gritty and tough. The difference this year (Asheville came from behind to beat CSU, 80-76, at the Buc Dome last January 18) is we continued to score late in the game to survive the run of Andrew. Credit to our guys, we played defense just well enough to get a win tonight. We hustled ourselves into a win – 21 offensive rebounds is hustling yourself into a win."

Nimley (17) and Harper (15) poured in 32 first half points to send CSU into intermission on top 41-35. CSU pushed its lead to as much as nine in the second half, but could not shake Rowsey and Asheville. The Bulldogs also received a lift from junior forward Sam Hughes, who chipped in 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Nimley and Rowsey showed why they are candidates for Big South Player of the Year, as well as why they are two of the best players under 6-0 tall anywhere in the country. Rowsey hit his first of five second half treys to cut Asheville's deficit to 47-42 with 17:39 remaining. Harper knocked down a mid-range jumper and Nimley drilled one of his four triples to push CSU's lead back to eight. Rowsey kept on firing and hitting, however, ripping off eight points – including a pair of treys – in a three-minute stretch to make the score 55-52 at the 11:56 mark. Nimley responded with a long three to give the Bucs a six-point edge and Asheville would not come within one score until inside the two-minute mark.

Aaron Wheeler aided CSU with eight points and six offensive rebounds in a career-high 36 minutes, and made a free throw to give the Bucs a five-point lead with 6:21 left. Nimley drove the lane for a layup, and Cedrick Bowen added a free throw to put the Bucs on top 71-63 during a critical defensive stretch in which the Bulldogs were held scoreless for 3:45 of game time.

Rowsey twice scored to bring Asheville within two points, but Nimley sank a pair of free throws after each score. Asheville would misfire on two threes in the closing 12 seconds, and Bowen had a free throw and a slam off a look-ahead pass from Harper to put the exclamation point on the win in front of a packed Buc Dome.

Harper sparked CSU at the game's outset, scoring the Bucs' first seven points and nine of their first eleven. He drained a three from in front of the Asheville bench to finish off a personal 7-0 run to start the game. Harper connected on two more threes at the midway point of the half to twice nudge CSU's advantage to ten.

Nimley did not score until the 11:58 mark of the opening stanza, but pumped in 17 of CSU's final 27 points of the period. The highlight of that damage was a four-point play, as Nimley swished a contested corner three while being fouled, and made the ensuing free throw. He chipped in a fade-away 15-footer for the final points of the half.

"If Saah isn't recognized as one of the best point guards in America than that is a real shame and it won't take long to call roll," Radebaugh said of Nimley's stellar run in Big South play. "That's now 30, 30, and 31 for the last three games….Our guys made plays and it was another excellent team effort and team win that we'll enjoy while we can."

CSU continues a three-game homestand on Saturday against Gardner-Webb. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m.