CHARLESTON, S.C. – After a disappointing loss to Presbyterian College Wednesday evening, the Bucs returned home to the Buc Dome for another doubleheader, this time against the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville.
Saturday served as CSU's basketball alumni day as the Buccaneers welcomed home over a dozen former men's and women's basketball team members.
The first 20-minute half of Saturday's ball game was not a hot one for the Buccaneers. CSU would only record 22 points in the half shooting poorly across the board. Luckily Asheville's comparable shooting performance would leave the door open for a potential second-half resurrection.
RJ Johnson would be responsible for an impressive amount of the Bucs' offensive production. Johnson scored 21 of the Bucs' 61 points, and was already credited with 5 assists. Although CSU's free-throw shooting ability has increased as the season has progressed, Johnson has consistently sat atop the number one spot on the squad in that category (77.2%) as he shot 11/12 from the charity stripe against the Bulldogs.
On Monday, the Big South announced their Co-Player of the Week award winners, CSU's Taje' Kelly and UNC Asheville's Jordan Marsh. Kelly would record 15 points and 7 total rebounds in the Saturday marquee matchup.
The second-half was much more successful for Head Coach, and CSU men's basketball alumni himself, Saah Nimley's squad. The Bucs would improve their shooting percentage in half number two by 12 percent.
A star of the second-half was that of true freshman Keenan Wilkins. Wilkins has missed several games with an injury and was thankfully made available for the Asheville contest. In 11 minutes of play, Wilkins made two three-balls that absolutely set the Buc Dome ablaze. The freshman from Hendersonville, North Carolina grew up just 30 minutes from the campus of UNC Asheville and has had success for years against competition from the region of the Tar Heel state.
Big shots from Wilkins, Lamar Oden Jr., and other Buccaneers would keep CSU in striking distance for a majority of the second-half. Unfortunately, the 16-point halftime deficit would be too large to return from as the Bucs would lose 61-69.
A few silver linings would be recognized by Coach Nimley in his post game press conference and talk with his team. One being that UNC Asheville, who averaged 87.0 points per game in Big South play coming into Saturday, were held to 69 points in the Buc Dome.
CSU will return to their home gym on the 1st of February when they host the Lancers of Longwood, a team they lost to by only five points in Farmville.
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