CHARLESTON – Monday night, the rivalry between Charleston Southern and The Citadel was rekindled at McAlister Field House. The new chapter in the now 38-game series was claimed by the visiting Buccaneers, 96–86, on the back of a performance never before recorded in college basketball – Brycen Blaine's 42 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and just 1 turnover.

The journey from the 2023 matchup between these two Holy City institutions to this season's contest has checked nearly every box that an eventful college basketball story requires – a head coaching change, dozens of new players, a mere 17 miles separating the schools, and a renewed rivalry eager to stay alive. Before Monday night, the 29-point defeat suffered in November 2023 had never left the mind of now–Buccaneer Head Coach Saah Nimley. During a phone call the morning of the game, Nimley was asked if that previous meeting still motivated his program or if it was put behind them. His quick reply was, "That game has stuck with me ever since I walked out of that gym two years ago."

With only two players returning from that 2023 roster, Coach Nimley walked back into "that gym" – otherwise known as McAlister Field House – standing firmly on the principles that have brought his program to where it is now: hunger and humility.

At 7:00 p.m., the ball was tipped. The first highlight came courtesy of a Reis Jones alley-oop jam from an A'lahn Sumler assist to tie the game at four apiece. Just over four minutes in, Brycen Blaine made the first of his eventual eight three-pointers, giving CSU its first lead, 9–8. Minutes later, The Citadel regained control and stretched its advantage to double digits (32-18).

A quick five-point burst from CSU's Lase Olalere – a player competing between two of his hometown schools – and another Blaine triple began to chip away at the deficit. Long-range connections from Blaine and Luke Williams turned it into a two-possession game (34–29). With 37 seconds left in the half, another Blaine three, his 23rd point of the half, tied the game at 45–45 – or so it seemed. As time expired, The Citadel's Braxton Williams, who finished with 15 points, buried a three of his own to send the Bulldogs into halftime up 48–45. The McAlister Maniacs cadet-section erupted as both squads headed to the locker rooms.

The Citadel, a team that had attempted 85 combined threes in its first two games, was held to just 11 attempts in the first half – still too many, according to Coach Nimley's halftime remarks. When the second half began, Charleston Southern's defensive game plan became more evident. Holding the Bulldogs to 33% from deep, the visiting Buccaneers made it clear they were going to win the battle between two teams that love to shoot the shot attempts worth an extra point.

Déjà vu struck at the 16:25 mark as Blaine drilled his first long ball of the half, giving CSU a 54–51 lead it would never relinquish. From there, the Buccaneers never looked back, sealing a 96–86 win and celebrating loudly enough to rival the rowdy cadets who tried to rattle them all night.

Posting a 42-point near triple-double, Blaine entered the locker room repeatedly shouting, "Who runs Charleston now?" Minutes later, Coach Nimley joined his team, shared a brief yet impactful message, and then he and Blaine were escorted to the postgame press conference, where several Lowcountry news outlets awaited.

Asked where Blaine's performance ranked among those he's seen in his 11-year CSU career as both player and coach, Nimley responded, "I just told my players in the locker room that I've been part of some special performances… that might have been the most impressive thing I've seen – that ability to make shots."

Reflecting on the slow start, Nimley credited The Citadel's preparation, "That was tough. Credit to The Citadel. They were ready to play… I thought they played great throughout the game, to be honest with you. Us being down 12 and having that resiliency… I told my team they needed to go through that… These are the moments that help you get through a long season."

When asked what he learned about his team Monday night, Nimley said, "I'm starting to learn that they are who I think they are. We brought in a lot of non–Division I guys that I've been asked about a lot… The data was out there on them… They're starting to get their confidence and their feet in the ground."

Blaine, reflecting on his hot hand, credited his teammates: "It's easy when I have teammates like I have. They move the ball and the offense works. It fits me perfectly… There will be some nights where anyone on our team can have a night like this."

When asked if he was aware of the magnitude of the cross-town rivalry, Blaine commented, "Coach Nimley's been on us, letting us know what happened last time they played (The Citadel)... He got us mentally ready and didn't let us get comfortable."

Asked about the halftime message that inspired CSU's second-half surge, Blaine replied, "Coach told us just to stay calm and trust our game plan. The game plan worked, and we came out with the W."

After a late night stop for ice cream and a moment to catch their breath, the Buccaneers arrived back on their home campus just 17 miles north of the place they have now reclaimed, and Brycen Blaine's phone may never be more full of text messages and social media notifications. The dish that is Charleston Southern men's basketball has now been served – and Coach Nimley and his staff appear to have built a recipe for success.
 

Notables:

• Brycen Blaine is the first person to record 42+ points, 11+ rebounds, 8+ assists, and 2+ steals in a single game in the history of college basketball.

• Blaine's 42-point performance is currently the most points by a college basketball player so far this D1 season. 

• Blaine is the first CSU player to score 40+ in a single game since 2007.

• Through his first three games at CSU, Blaine has tallied a total of 76 points, 30 rebounds, 13 assists, 4 steals, and only 2 turnovers. 

• Blaine has also collected two double-double outings in the past two contests (12 Points + 11 Rebounds vs Toccoa Falls and 42 Points + 11 Rebounds at The Citadel)

• Blaine now leads the Big South Conference in scoring with 76 total points. Second place has 61 currently.

• Blaine scored his 300th Career Point Monday night.

• A'lahn Sumler broke his career-high in the assist column with 5.

• CSU outrebounded the Bulldogs 40-27.

• CSU won the assist battle by an impressive 15-dime margin (24-7).

• Both squads shot 50% or better from the field overall and 40% or better from three-point territory.

Up Next:

The Bucs will attend a multi-team event in Huntsville, Alabama later this week on November 14th and 15th. Hosted by Alabama A&M University, CSU will play the Bulldogs on Thursday at 8:00 PM EST and Lindenwood on Friday at 6:30 PM EST. Both games are set to be streamed via SWAC TV.

To see a full sit-down conversation with Coach Nimley discussing the Bucs' next opponents and previous game recaps, watch the "2025-2026 Nimley Coaches Show" on CSUsports.com, X/Twitter, or YouTube.

For all the most up-to-date coverage involving CSU Volleyball, follow us on Instagram and X/Twitter @csu_mbball.