12/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CONWAY, S.C. -- The Coastal Carolina men's basketball team jumped out to a 17-0 lead en route to a resounding 115-50 victory over visiting Lees-McRae, Dec. 28. With its fourth win in the last five games, Coastal moves to 5-5 on the year, while the Bobcats fall to 1-4.
The 115 points by the Chanticleers are the most since joining Division I in 1985-86 and the third most in the program's history. Coastal's record is 122 against Friendship during the 1979-80 season. The 65-point victory is also the largest in school history, surpassing the previous mark of 47, set against Limestone during the 1987-88 season.
After the 17-0 start over the first four minutes, Coastal maintained the lead throughout the first half and went into the lockerroom with a 53-31 halftime advantage. CCU continued to push the lead, going on a 35-4 run over the first nine minutes of the second half to lead 88-35 and never look back.
The Chants shot 56.2 percent from the field, hitting 41-of-73, and 50 percent from the three-point arc, while dishing out 30 assists and grabbing 56 rebounds. The Bobcats were limited to just 27.9 percent from the floor, while giving 28 turnovers converted into 27 CCU points. Coastal also outscored Lees-McRae 64-22 in the paint and 43-6 in the fast break.
Senior guard Brandon Newby led five Coastal players in double figures with 21 points, while senior guard E.J. Gallup chipped in 19 points and a career-best six steals. Senior forward Clint Reed just missed a double-double with 11 poitns and nine rebounds, while junior guard Alvin Green had eight points and dished out s season-high eight assists. Lester Harbin led the Bobcats with 13 points.
Coastal will hit the road for its second game in a three-day period, traveling to Chapel Hill to take on the ninth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. Tip-off at the Dean E. Smith Center is scheduled for 8 p.m.
