COLUMBIA, S.C. - On Wednesday night, CIU men's basketball secured an electrifying 87-79 victory over Truett McConnell University (Ga.) on their home court in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play. The win propels the Rams to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in conference action.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with the Rams battling back from an early deficit. A pivotal layup by Johnny Whysong midway through the first half shifted the momentum in CIU's favor. JJ Vaughan came off the bench to light up the scoreboard, draining six threes and tallying 18 first-half points to help the Rams carry a 49-45 lead into the break.

CIU extended their advantage to as much as 12 in the second half, highlighted by a Brandon Hunt layup. However, the Bears surged back, briefly taking a one-point lead with just over 11 minutes remaining. The Rams responded resiliently, as Vaughan sank a clutch three-pointer to regain the lead. CIU held firm down the stretch to seal the hard-fought victory.

Vaughan had a career night, finishing 8-of-12 from beyond the arc and etching his name in program history with the second-most three-pointers made in a single game. Hunt filled the stat sheet with 16 points, five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, while Christian Howard contributed 16 points and eight rebounds.

Up Next: The Rams will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 23, traveling to Grayson, Ky., to take on Kentucky Christian University at 2 p.m. EST.