COLUMBIA, S.C. — CIU men's basketball earned its first victory of the 2025–26 season on Saturday afternoon, holding off Voorhees (S.C.) 69–67 inside the Moore Fitness Center.
The Rams led 36–22 at halftime and weathered a late surge by the Tigers, who outscored CIU 45–33 in the second half. Despite the comeback bid, the Rams secured the two-point win with key free throws in the final seconds to move to 1–2 overall on the season.
JJ Vaughan led CIU with 18 points, connecting on four three-pointers and shooting 6-of-8 from the field. Johnny Whysong followed with 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists, while Will Kelly added 10 points and three rebounds. Connor Higgins was a force on the glass, recording a game-high 10 rebounds along with eight points.
As a team, the Rams shot 47.1% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc, while limiting Voorhees to 42.1% overall and just 32.0% from three-point range. CIU also held a 38–20 advantage on the boards and scored 32 points in the paint.
With the win, CIU improves to 1–2 overall, while Voorhees falls to 0–1. The Rams will host Benedict College (S.C.) on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in an NCAA versus NAIA exhibition in the Moore Fitness Center at 7:30 p.m. ET.
