Box Score FARMVILLE, Va. - Charleston Southern remains tied for first place in the Big South Conference standings. It was not easy, but Charleston Southern pulled out a 65-64 win over Longwood on Saturday at Willett Hall. The victory clinches the program's third winning season in the last four years.
CSU (16-9, 10-4 Big South) sprinted out to a 30-10 lead in the game's opening eight minutes before withstanding a valiant Longwood (7-20, 3-11 Big South) effort. The Lancers rallied behind a game-high 30 points from Quincy Taylor, and led 58-54 with 6:35 remaining. The Bucs responded with a 7-0 spurt, though, and held on for their third straight win.
CSU had not compiled three winning seasons in a four-year stretch since putting together three consecutive such campaigns from 1994-97.
Cedrick Bowen's dunk gave CSU a 63-60 advantage with 1:43 left, and Longwood missed three three-pointers that could have tied the game. Saah Nimley hit a free throw with 3.7 seconds on the clock to extend the Bucs' lead to four, and Taylor made a three at the final buzzer to account for the final margin.
Arlon Harper tallied 21 points to pace CSU, and scored 11 of the Bucs' first 13 points during a torrid opening stretch. CSU made 12 of its first 18 shots from the field, including 5-of-7 from three, and led 30-10 at the 12:17 mark of the first half following a Bowen dunk. Longwood cut the CSU lead to 39-34 at halftime, however, and tied the game at 41 apiece early in the second half. The Lancers moved in front by as much as five points before the Bucs showed off some veteran moxie down the stretch.
"Give Longwood a lot of credit because they're much improved and had a really good game plan, but our guys pulled through and made plays late," CSU head coach Barclay Radebaugh said afterward. "We made plays when we had to, and showed poise late with pressure being on the road trying to stay in first place. I'm proud of our guys."
Will Saunders started CSU's pivotal 7-0 run with a three from the right arc to make the score 58-57. Bowen converted two clutch free throws at the 4:31 mark to move CSU into the lead for good. Nimley drove the baseline for one of his two baskets to close the surge and put the Bucs on top, 61-58.
Taylor buried a tough mid-range jumper to bring Longwood within a point, before Bowen threw down an emphatic two-handed jam off a pretty pass from Harper. Leron Fisher misfired on a pair of potential game-tying treys, and Taylor had one rattle in and out with 16 seconds left. Bowen and Nimley then each split a pair of free throws to secure the win.
Harper's fourth 20+ point effort of the year and 20th of his career led CSU. Aaron Wheeler chipped in 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Saunders and Bowen each posted 11. Saunders also played a leading role in holding Longwood's Shaquille Johnson to just seven points on 1-of-12 shooting. Taylor drilled six of Longwood's 13 threes, and the Lancers placed no one else in double figures scoring.
Nimley was held to six points on 2-of- shooting, but did tie Brett Larrick (1993-97) for third-place on Charleston Southern's career scoring list. He now has 1,706 points.
CSU is tied with High Point and Radford, atop the league. The Bucs return home Wednesday to take on Presbyterian, with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m.
