CONWAY, S.C. – Junior center Essam Mostafa scored 22 points to lead four players in double figures as Coastal Carolina scored an easy 97-43 victory over outmatched St. Mary's College (Md.) Monday at the HTC Center in the season opener for both teams. Newcomers Jomaru Brown and Linton Brown added 19 and 18 points, respectively, and returning starter Josh Uduje had 12.
 
The four leading scorers were a combined 27-of-37 from the field, with Mostafa converting 9-of-10 field goal attempts before he checked out of the lineup with 5:30 remaining. Mostafa also grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds to earn the 22nd double-double of his career. Mostafa averaged 13 points and nine rebounds last season in leading the Chants to a 19-14 overall record.
 
Jomaru Brown, a 6'2" senior transfer from Eastern Kentucky, made 7-of-8 shots on the nights, including three three-pointers. Linton Brown, a 6'5" senior transfer from St. Bonaventure, hit a team-high four three-pointers.
 
"I thought we played pretty good," said Coastal head coach Cliff Ellis, now in his 16th season at the school. "Our board work was really good, and I think that's going to be the strong point of our team. Jamaru made some big shots and I think Henry (Abraham) did a great job of distributing the ball. He really understands the game." Henry Abraham was credited with a game-high eight assists and had just three turnovers, something that caught the veteran coach's eye.
 
St. Mary's, an NCAA Division III team that had a 13-10 record a year ago, was led by Gary Grant, Micah Henry, and Jordan Goodwin, who had eight points apiece.
 
Coastal already had three players in double figures at halftime, when the Chants led comfortably, 50-16. Linton Brown had 13 points, while Mostafa had 12 and Jamaru Brown had 10. Mostafa, one of only three returning players on the Chants' roster, also had eight rebounds in the first 20 minutes.
 
The score was 8-6 before the Chanticleers put together a 14-3 run to go in front 22-9. But the backbreaker was what followed: a 25-2 scoring spree that put Coastal in front by an insurmountable margin at 47-13. Coastal reached its biggest lead at 95-39 on a dunk by 6'10" senior center DJ Basey, a transfer from Central Oklahoma, with two minutes remaining.
 
The Chants finished hitting on 66 percent of their shots (37-of-56) and held a one-sided advantage on the boards at 47-32. They had eight players with points and 11 see action, including local product Jimmy Nichols, a 6'8" senior forward from Conway who played previously at VCU and Providence. Nichols scored nine points in 22 minutes of action.
 
Coastal returns to action at 7 p.m. ET on Friday when the Chanticleers host Methodist at the HTC Center.
 
For complete coverage of CCU men's basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMBB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at goccusports.com.