Men's Basketball Defeats Birmingham-Southern, 65-59

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.. -- Pele Paelay scored a career-high 22 points as Coastal
Carolina snapped a five-game losing streak with a 65-59 victory over
Birmingham-Southern Saturday night. The Panthers were unable to extend their
five-game win streak, despite a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) from
Josiah James and a 20-point offering from Corey Watkins.

In what proved to be a physical contest, the Chanticleer defenders held
Birmingham-Southern to 36.5% (19-for-52) from the floor and out-rebounded the
Panthers 33-22. BSC forced 17 turnovers and recorded 11 steals, but were
unable to keep CCU away from the baskets, as the Chanticleers shot 51.2%
(21-for-41) from the field.

The teams traded the lead seven times in the first half, with Coastal Carolina
holding a 32-26 advantage at the break.

Birmingham-Southern went on a 12-2 run in the opening minutes of the second
half to reclaim the lead at 38-36 until Tony Darden pulled up for a right-side
jumper at the 14:34 mark. The Panthers maintained their advantage, stretching
it to six on a James free-throw with 9:03 left. However, the Chanticleers
continued to chip away at the deficit, taking over at the 6:02 mark with a
free-throw from Anthony Susnjara.

The Panthers battled back as Jakob Sigurdarson drained a dramatic trey to tie
the game at 57 with 2:26 left to play. Derrick Robinson responded as he nailed
a three-pointer at the 1:17 mark, his first on the season, to give CCU the
lead at 60-57. The Chanticleers pulled away from BSC as they netted
five-of-six free throws in the remaining 44 seconds of the game.

James recorded his second straight double-double, fourth on the year, and
maintained his streak of four games with at least 20 points. Watkins, who
swiped a career-high six steals, stymied 2000-01 Big South Conference Player
of the Year Torrey Butler, holding him to 15 points. Butler hung 33 on UNC
Asheville on Thursday night and was averaging 21 points per game against Big
South Conference foes coming in.