Anthony Ruffolo scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as Charleston Southern routed Columbia International 86-49 at Buccaneer Fieldhouse on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The win evened the Buccaneers' record at 1-1 after a 98-71 loss at South Florida to open the season. It also extended a streak: Charleston Southern has now won six consecutive home openers, according to CSU Athletics.
Ruffolo, who shot 12-of-22 from the field, added a team-high eight assists for a near triple-double. He was one of two Buccaneers to record a double-double.
Lase Olalere was the other. The big man finished with 14 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting night and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds while blocking two shots, according to CSU Athletics.
DJ Hubbard, making the first start of his college career, scored 15 points and knocked down two three-pointers. Jackson Crawford chipped in 11 points, four assists and two steals while going 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Second-half surge sealed it
Charleston Southern pulled away after halftime. The Buccaneers opened the second half on a 10-0 run, with Ruffolo hitting a three-pointer and Hubbard adding a pair of baskets to push the lead to 15.
The advantage grew beyond 20 points by the midway mark of the second half. CSU outscored Columbia International 54-25 after the break, shooting 19-of-36 from the field in the period.
The Buccaneers dominated the glass all night, finishing with a 56-31 rebounding edge that included 24 offensive boards. Charleston Southern committed just six turnovers while recording 15 assists and seven steals.
Kendrick Jackson led the Rams with 11 points and two blocks, according to the AP via Live 5 News.
Charleston Southern travels to Wake Forest on Tuesday, Nov. 10, for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.
