Charleston outlasts Coastal Carolina 67-65 behind Riller (Dec 22, 2017)
CONWAY, S.C. (AP) Grant Riller tossed in 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting and Jarrell Brantley hit four straight free throws in the final 13 seconds to help Charleston hold off Coastal Carolina 67-65 on Friday.
Joe Chealey added 14 points and Cameron Johnson scored 11 for the Cougars (9-3), who beat the Chanticleers (6-7) for the 16th time in the last 17 games and lead the all-time series 36-13.
Zac Cuthbertson paced Coastal Carolina with 19 points, Jaylen Shaw added 12 points and six assists and reserves Demario Beck and Artur Labinowicz scored 10 each.
Riller scored nine in a game-opening 12-4 run for the Cougars, but Coastal Carolina answered with a 12-2 spurt to regain the lead. The game featured 10 ties and 17 lead changes. Shaw's two free throws with one second left in the first half gave the Chanticleers a 27-26 lead.
Charleston took the lead for good on Johnson's 3-pointer with 13:43 remaining. Beck's dunk pulled the Chanticleers within a point with 1:14 left, but Johnson hit 1 of 2 free throws and Brantley, a Colonial Athletic Association first-teamer last season who was playing in just his second game of the season because of a knee injury, hit 4 of 4 at the foul line for the victory.
