Release contributed by Coastal Carolina Sports Information

December 29, 2006

Boxscore

CONWAY, S.C.—Three different Knights scored 11 points but it was not enough as NCAA Division I Coastal Carolina University defeated visiting St. Andrews Presbyterian College 74-54 Friday night in Kimbel Arena.

The Knights, who were playing their second D-I opponent in their last three games, fell to 3-6 overall on the season heading into the New Year. The Chanticleers improved to 5-6.

Coatal got going early in the game, going on a 12-2 run in the first 4:09, but the visiting Knights fought back. St. Andrews followed that opening run with a 17-4 run of its own in the next 5:13 to take a 19-16 lead with 10:38 remaining in the half. The two teams battled to be tied at 23 at the media timeout with 3:59 to play in the first period, but Coastal took the lead for good with a 10-1 surge to close the half for a 33-24 halftime advantage.

The Chants continued to build their lead at the start of the second half with a 13-4 push in the first six minutes for a 46-28 lead. CCU eventually built the lead to as many as 23 on two separate occasions midway through the second half and never led by less than 17 before finishing the game with a 20-point victory.

Coastal hit on 53.3 percent (32-for-60) of its shots from the floor, including 10 three-points, while out-rebounding the visitors 37-27. The Chants also had 12 offensive rebounds converted into16 points, while scoring 24 points off of 21 SAPC turnovers. The Knights, who were limited to just 36.2 percent (17-for-47) from the floor, kept it close in the first half by going to the line, finishing at 18-for-23 (78.3 percent).

Freshman Justin Brauda (Monroe, N.C.) had 11 points for the visitors including going a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Junior Taiwon Grooms (Landover, Md.) and senior Richard Stone (Williamsburg, Va.) both also bucketed 11 points for the Knights.

Junior Bradley Hippolyte (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and sophomore DeRalle Piersall (Dumfries, Va.) had a team-high four rebounds apiece. Grooms made a team-high three steals.

Senior Moses Sonko posted his fourth double-double of the season to lead the Chants to the victory with game-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Helping Sonko offensively for Coastal was junior Jack Leasure and freshman Joshua Mack with 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Leasure adding game-highs of eight assists and four steals.

The Knights begin the 2007 portion of their schedule at Mars Hill College on Tuesday, January 2 at 2:00 p.m. St. Andrews defeated Mars Hill in the season-opener for both teams, 70-55.