FLORENCE, Ala. — Charleston Southern won the statistical battle but was unable to slow host North Alabama on the scoreboard, suffering a 45-22 loss Saturday afternoon in Big South Conference play.
 
STATS ADVANTAGE
While the Bucs were not able to take the advantage on the scoreboard, they did hold several leads in the stats columns, including first downs (28-15), rushing yards (235-88), passing yards (246-235) and total yards (481-323).
 
MIMS WITH TWO TO TAKE SECOND
Shaundre Mims had a monster game, leading all players with a season-best 10 tackles (five for a loss of 15 yards), including seven solo stops and two sacks.
 
His two sacks moved him into sole possession of second place in school history with 18, leaping past Solomon Brown (2014-18) who had 17 during his Bucs career.
 
SMITH FINDS END ZONE FOR THIRD-STRAIGHT GAME
Although he didn't see the field until late in the game, Ja'Rell Smith made an impact with a 13-yard touchdown grab from backup quarterback Ross Malmgren with 0:39 seconds left for the game's final score.
 
Smith now has a receiving TD in three-straight games, the longest current streak on the squad.
 
THAT'S TWO
Charleston Southern converted its first two-point conversion of the season after an earlier fourth-quarter touchdown connection between quarterback Jack Chambers and wideout Demetrius Jones. On the two-point try, wide receiver Garris Schwarting tossed it to running back Kyris Barnett.
 
CHAMBERS BECOMES FIRST OVER 100
For the first time in the 2021 season, the Buccaneers have a 100-yard rusher as Chambers carried the ball 16 times for 110 yards, a 6.9 average. 
 
His total exceeded the entire team effort by the Lions, who finished with 88 between six different rushers.
 
HAWKINS CONTINUES TO ADVANCE THE BALL
A game after Roderick Hawkins paced the team with 50 yards on the ground, he added a career-best 119 on kickoff returns Saturday. He had four returns on the day with a long of 59 yards and finished with 150 all-purpose yards, more than any of his teammates.
 
RECORDS
Charleston Southern: 2-4, 1-3 Big South
North Alabama: 2-6, 2-2 Big South
 
UP NEXT
The Bucs return to Buccaneer Field for their final-two home games the next two weeks, starting with a 1 p.m. kickoff against Campbell Oct. 30. It will be Goose Creek Appreciation Day sponsored by Century Aluminum. It will also be CSU's Breast Cancer Awareness game with more details to follow.