COLUMBIA - CIU men's basketball ended the offseason with a splash on Friday night as the Rams eclipsed the century mark, defeating the visiting Morris College (S.C) Hornets 107-58 in their home opener. To add to what was an exceptional team performance, senior Christian Howard scored his 1,000 career point in the win. Howard needed 12 points entering the game and would score 17.

The Rams blew past the Hornets to start the game, going up 29-9 in the first ten minutes of the first half. After two Howard free throws, CIU led by as many as 37 points (48-11) with 5:11 left in the half. The second half was more of the same, as CIU ultimately won by 49 points, the largest margin of victory in program history.

CIU had five players in double figures Friday night. JJ Vaughan scored a career-high 17 points, shooting 5-of-10 from deep. Brandon Hunt and Johnny Whysong scored 11 and 12 points, while Jaylon Jeter added ten points to boost CIU's offensive output. Howard was a rebound shy of a double-double while going a perfect 7-for-7 at the line.

The Rams had 12 different players score a point as CIU shot 55% from the field and 41% from beyond the arc. The Rams were a steller 25-for-28 from the charity stripe.

What Coach Tony Stockman is saying: "You never know how a season opener is going to go, so for us to play the way we did, especially on the offensive end, is encouraging. I'm proud of Chris for passing the 1,000-point mark. He has been a vital part of this program for the past three seasons, and I am excited to see what he can accomplish during his senior year."

Up Next: The Rams will play Warner University (Fla.) on Friday, Nov. 1 at Spartanburg Methodist University. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. EST.