LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) -- Kurtis Rice scored 18 points and Charleston Southern used a 13-0 spurt to break open a tight game as the Buccaneers beat Virginia Military Institute 78-67 Saturday.
Rice hit a 3-pointer with 1:35 left in the first half to start the run and put Charleston Southern (5-7, 2-0 Big South) ahead for good, 30-28. Two free throws by Chris Moore and a 3-pointer by Donnell Covington made it 35-28 at halftime.
The Buccaneers opened the second half with a foul shot by Jovan Jegdic, a putback by Rice and a steal and layup by Terrell Brown to stretch their lead to 40-28 with 18:28 left.
VMI (5-6, 0-1) cut the margin to seven on four occasions, the last on Sam Mielnick's two free throws with 3:10 left, but could get no closer.
Brown scored 14 points for the Buccaneers. Covington hit all three of his 3-pointers and was 5-of-6 overall for 13 points, and Nathan Ball added 12.
Tim Allmond scored 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting for the Keydets. Levar Joseph added 13 and Reggie Williams 11.
