CONWAY, S.C. – Josh Uduje scored a game-high 25 points, but it wasn't enough as Coastal Carolina dropped a 74-70 decision to Chicago State in a non-conference game Monday night at the HTC Center, snapping a two-game winning streak for the Chants.
 
The score was tied at 65-65 before Elijah Weaver scored seven points on a 9-5 run for Chicago State in the final 3:30. Coastal hurt its chances by hitting only one field goal and making just 3-of-6 free throws in the final 6:16. Still, Coastal had a chance when it trailed by just 72-70, but Uduje missed his three-point attempt from the key with :02 left. Weaver made a pair of last-second free throws to close out the win for the visiting Cougars.
 
Uduje, a 6'5" sophomore who has hit for 25 or more points in each of the last three games, was helped by 6'9" junior big man Essam Mostafa, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds to collect his 14th double-double of the season, and sophomore Kylan Blackmon, who scored all 12 of his points in the second half. The loss leaves Coastal at 10-10 overall.
 
Wesley Cardet, a 6'6" sophomore who averages 16 points a game, led Chicago State with 21 points, all in the first half, while Weaver added 17 to help the Cougars better their record to 5-16 on the season.
 
"They are a better team than people think, and I was worried to death about this game," said Coastal head coach Cliff Ellis. "We didn't have our legs after three games in five days, but we lost this on rebounds and defense, and there is no excuse for that. I am very disappointed, but all you can do is throw this one in the trash can and move on."
 
Cardet had seven of his team's first 13 points, staking the Cougars to a 13-7 advantage. Uduje countered by scoring 13 of his team's first 24 points, but the Chants couldn't get the lead. They trailed by one at 15-14 before the Cougars went on an 8-0 run to push the lead out to 22-14.
 
Cardet then made sure his team stayed on top the rest of the first half with five more points and a nifty assist in the final three minutes to give the Cougars a 42-33 lead at the break. Cardet already had all of his 21 points for the night, while Uduje had 13 for Coastal.
 
Blackmon provided a spark for CCU to start the second half as he hit three long-range buckets, with each one pulling Coastal within three points. Two minutes later, Uduje canned a three-pointer from the top of the key after an offensive rebound and assist by Wilfried Likayi to give Coastal its first lead of the night at 57-56 with 11 minutes remaining.
 
Coastal led by five at 64-59 after a Linton Brown jumper, but Chicago State put together a 9-1 run to retake the lead at 68-65 and held the lead the rest of the way. Chicago State led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but neither team led by more than five in the last 16 minutes of action.
 
Uduje hit on 9-of-16 shots and Mostafa was 6-of-9, which helped Coastal shoot 42 percent from the field overall (25-of-60). Uduje also hit a career-high seven of his team's 13 three-pointers. Chicago State had 10 three-pointers in its 25 field goals, with Cardet and Weaver making three apiece. The Cougars also got 24 second-chance points, nine more than Coastal, as Chicago State out-rebounded Coastal, 37-33.
 
Coastal will face James Madison for an away game Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. ET, before returning home to host Old Dominion on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 2 p.m. ET.
 
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