Cold-shooting Charleston Southern routed on road by Coastal Carolina, 73-53

Teams that live by the 3 typically die by the 3.

Charleston Southern entered Wednesday night’s Big South Conference matchup with Coastal Carolina as the nation’s second best 3-point shooting team, averaging nearly 9.5 3-pointers per game.

However, the shooting touch was nowhere to be found on Wednesday as the Buccaneers struggled from long range and were beaten badly on the boards as well. Coastal Carolina defeated CSU for the seventh straight time, running away with a 73-53 win in Conway.

The margin of defeat was the worst this season for CSU (12-8, 7-2).

Coastal Carolina improved to 11-10 overall and 6-4 in Big South play, while CSU (dropped its second straight game after an eight-game winning streak. Coastal Carolina outrebounded CSU, 47-27.

“We played a bad game and they kicked us in every way,” said CSU coach Barclay Radebaugh. “We got whipped. We got outplayed and outcoached. We just played bad.”

Sophomore guard Arlon Harper led CSU with 21 points, while Mathiang Muo added 10. Charleston Southern shot 31 percent from the floor for the game.

Warren Gillis led Coastal Carolina with 19 points, while Anthony Raffa added 17 and Kierre Greenwood 16.

CSU missed 10 consecutive 3-pointers during one stretch and made only 6 of 32 attempts. The Buccaneers did not make their first 3-pointer of the second half until there were less than six minutes remaining in the game.

Harper scored 10 of CSU’s first 13 points and tied the game on a 3-pointer with under nine minutes left in the first half. Coastal Carolina, however, responded with a 19-10 run and held a 37-23 halftime lead.

CSU would cut the lead to 10 at 42-32 in the first five minutes of the second half, but the Chanticleers pulled away with a 15-0 run, taking a 57-32 lead.

Muo and Sexton hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring CSU within 13 with 2:17 remaining, but the Bucs could get no closer as Coastal Carolina converted its free throws down the stretch.

Charleston Southern, which fell a half-game out of first place in the South Division behind UNC Asheville, will host Campbell at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

“We have lost two in a row — now let’s see how we respond,” said Radebaugh. “Saturday is an important game for us. We can play like a champion or we will lay down. With this team, I think we will play like a champion, but I am anxious to see how we come out.”