Charleston Southern University Athletics
1-1,0-0Big South
Columbia International
0-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Int'l | 24 | 25 | 49 |
| Charleston So. | 32 | 54 | 86 |
11/5/2026 9:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CHARLESTON – Charleston Southern men's basketball delivered a dominant performance in its home opener Thursday night, cruising past Columbia International, 86-49, at Buccaneer Fieldhouse. The victory marked the Buccaneers' sixth consecutive win in a home opener.
Charleston Southern improved to 1-1 on the season, using a strong finish to the first half and an explosive second-half effort to pull away from the Rams.
The Buccaneers established an early advantage behind Anthony Ruffolo's scoring touch and Lase Olalere's presence inside. After Columbia International pulled even at 12-12, CSU responded with a run to regain control and carried a 32-24 lead into the halftime break.
Charleston Southern came out of the locker room firing, opening the second half with a 10-0 run. Ruffolo knocked down a three-pointer to start the period before DJ Hubbard added a pair of baskets, pushing the Buccaneers' lead to 15. CSU continued to build on that momentum, stretching the advantage beyond 20 points midway through the half and never looking back.
The Buccaneers outscored the Rams 54-25 after halftime, shooting 19-of-36 from the field in the second period. CSU also controlled the glass, finishing with a commanding 56-31 rebounding advantage, including 24 offensive rebounds.
Notables:
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Anthony Ruffolo led all scorers with 31 points, shooting 12-of-22 from the field. He added 10 rebounds and a team-high eight assists for a near triple-double.
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Lase Olalere posted a dominant performance inside with 14 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting night, while grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds and recording two blocks.
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DJ Hubbard finished with 15 points, knocking down two three-pointers and adding three rebounds. Hubbard also earned the first starting lineup appearance of his young college career.
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Jackson Crawford contributed 11 points, four assists and two steals, while going a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line.
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Jefferson McLamb added eight points and five rebounds, including two three-pointers.
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Tito Deng chipped in seven points and five rebounds off the bench.
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Charleston Southern finished with 46 points in the paint, 15 assists and seven steals while limiting Columbia International to 49 points. The Buccaneers also committed just six turnovers.
Up Next:
The Bucs will be back Tuesday, November 10th at Wake Forest. The game will take place at 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
For all the most up-to-date coverage involving CSU Men's Basketball, follow us on Instagram and X/Twitter @csu_mbball.
