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Christiaan Jones
63
Winner Stetson STET 6-9
56
South Carolina SC 8-5
Winner
Stetson STET
6-9
63
Final
56
South Carolina SC
8-5
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Stetson STET 33 30 63
South Carolina SC 26 30 56

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Athletic Communications

Hatters Make History in Win at South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Local product Christiaan Jones scored a game-high 18 points and Jahlil Rawley added 16 as Stetson men's basketball held off South Carolina for a 63-56 win, Monday at Colonial Life Arena.
 
The win is Stetson's first against an SEC opponent since 2004, and first against a Power 5 school since 2010.
 
Jones, who played his high school basketball at nearby Cardinal Newman High School, started for the first time since Nov. 18, and responded with his best game of the season. The junior guard was 3 of 8 from the field with a pair of three-pointers, and went 10 of 13 from the free throw line. He added four rebounds in his first collegiate game in his home state.
 
Jones' effort helped the Hatters (6-9) keep the Gamecocks (8-5) at bay during the game's early and middle stages, but it was Rawley who did the heavy-lifting down the stretch. The senior guard scored seven points in the game's final 4:17, including a crucial 3-pointer which stopped a Gamecock run and gave Stetson a 56-50 lead just before the final media timeout.
 
Stetson led for all but 3:42 on Monday, controlling the game with an opportunistic offense and a smothering defense. The Hatters shot just 36 percent for the game, but Stetson's defense confounded the Gamecocks for 40 minutes, limiting Carolina to 37 percent shooting overall and forcing 15 turnovers.
 
South Carolina was just 2 for 10 in the game's final five minutes.
 
The Hatters led 33-26 at halftime and kept slowly building the lead throughout the second half. After the Gamecocks opened the half with a basket, Stetson responded with a 10-0 run, culminating with Rob Perry's 3-pointer just before the shot clock buzzer, a basket which gave the Hatters a 42-29 lead with 14:42 to go.
 
South Carolina eventually pulled to within 51-49 on a Justin Minaya triple with 5:25 to go, but a pair of free throws by Kenny Aninye and that huge Rawley three-pointer stopped the Carolina momentum and restored order.
 
A layup by Aninye and two free throws from Rawley gave the Hatters a 60-53 lead with 1:04 to play, and the Hatters made three more free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the win.
 
Maik Kotsar led South Carolina with 11 points.
 
Game Notes
  • The win is the first for the Hatters against an SEC opponent since a 56-52 win at Georgia on Dec. 31, 2004
  • It's also the first win for the Hatters against a Power 5 team since Nov. 12, 2010 when Stetson defeated Wake Forest, 89-79, in Winston-Salem, N.C.
  • The 18 points scored by Christiaan Jones was his best effort against a Division I opponent this season. He also established career highs in free throws made (10) and attempted (13)
  • Stetson's 36 free throw attempts are the most by the Hatters this season. Stetson entered the game ranked 47th in the NCAA in free throw attempts per game (20.6)
  • Jahlil Rawley scored in double figures for the 5th time this season after doing it just once as a junior
 
Up Next
The Hatters begin ASUN Conference play when they host Lipscomb, 7 p.m., Thursday.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.
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