COLUMBIA, S.C. - After a difficult end to the month of January, CIU men's basketball has done nearly everything right since, winning four of their last five games as the Rams defeated Milligan University (Tenn.) on Saturday. The win is important to keep the CIU in the upper half of the Appalachian Athletic Conference Standings (AAC), just one game out of fourth place as they sit 11-9 in the AAC. The win pushes CIU to a 12-11 record on the season, as the Rams have been fantastic at home with a 9-1 record in Columbia. 

Saturday's game was a low-scoring affair early on, with a DiAnthony Heathcock putting CIU up just 10-9, ten minutes into the ball game. The tide of the contest shifted as the Rams would go on a 12-0 run in the final 3:16 of the half to take a commanding 33-23 lead into the break.

The Rams grew their advantage going up 50-37 on Christian Howard's lay-in with 12:48 remaining. The Buffs cut the deficit down, however, trailing just 60-53 with just under five minutes to go. From there, CIU may have had their best finish to a game all season as three 3-pointers coming from Skyler McKinney, and a triple from Bryce Causey closed out the Buffaloes down the stretch. The Rams outscored Milligan 18-9 in the final 4:40 of the game, thanks primarily to outstanding ball movement. 

McKinney was red-hot from deep, going 5-of-6 from beyond the arc for a game-high of 19 points to accompany five rebounds. Heathcock contributed 17 points and a trio of rim-rattling dunks to go along with 8-of-12 shooting from the field. Howard was dominant in the paint in the second half, scoring 14 points against a Milligan defensive who struggled to guard the Ohio native. The Rams' backcourt of Darrian Oates and Jalen Brinson also impressed, with Oates turning in 13 points and dishing four assists while Brinson handed out eight dimes of his own.  

CIU set a precedent for the game in the first half, in which they held Milligan to 7-of-12 (32%) shooting. 

What Coach Tony Stockman is saying: "Certainly one of our most complete games this season. We played solid defense and hit open shots. Doing the simple things well will keep us winning games." 

Up Next: The Rams have another challenge ahead as they face Reinhardt University (Ga.) on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 PM.