CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charleston Southern men's basketball became the first 12-seed to win a game at the Big South Championships after knocking off #5-seeded UNC Asheville, 79-78, with a Taje' Kelly put back as time expired. 

GAME WINNER
Charleston Southern took a one-point lead with just over 20 ticks left as Taje' Kelly made a turnaround hook on the block, giving the Bucs their first lead since the the 19:00 minute mark of the first half. UNC Asheville used its following possession to answer, getting fouled at the rim and converting both from the stripe to re-take the lead with just over six seconds left.
 
The Bucs had just a few ticks left in rebuttal, as they put the ball in the hands of Deontaye Buskey to make a play with the season on the line. Buskey drove the length of the floor and welcomed the double team, kicking it to the corner to an open Jamir Moore. Moore fired one from the corner but was long, allowing Kelly to go up for the tip right before the buzzer, giving the Bucs the 79-78 victory.
 
THE BEST DOWN THE STRETCH
Taje' Kelly came up big throughout the whole game, as the All-Freshman selection put together his best performance to date, finishing with 24 points and seven rebounds, one game removed from his first career double-double.
 
Deontaye Buskey was big throughout the game as well, finishing with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Buskey was called on to play 37 minutes, helping Tahlik Chavez with the ball-handling duties. Chavez joined Kelly and Buskey in double-figures, finishing with 13 points, including nine-straight with under five to play. Claudell Harris Jr. found himself in double-figures as well after playing all 40 minutes. 

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM
UNC Asheville had gotten the best of the Bucs in the two regular-season meetings, once in early January and again at the Buc Dome in the final two weeks of the season. Drew Pember was the guilty party for the Bulldogs, leading the effort in both wins. The 2021-22 Big South Defensive Player of the Year was held to just 16 points in as many minutes in the contest this afternoon after fouling out with about nine minutes left.

UP NEXT
Charleston Southern will move on to the second round of the Hercules Tires Big South Championships and will see #4-seeded USC Upstate in Charlotte. The third meeting between the two sides will be scheduled for Friday, March 4, and will tip at 2:00 p.m.