ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – No. 20-ranked Columbus State men's basketball hit the road for a rescheduled meeting against Flagler (Fla.) on Monday night, picking up a 78-69 victory at Flagler Gym in St. Augustine, Fla.
 
The Cougars (19-3, 10-2 PBC) edged out the Saints (12-9, 6-6 PBC) to remain atop of the PBC standings and move to a three-game winning streak.
 
First Half
 
Jehloni James opened the game for Columbus State with four points to claim an early advantage. Flagler leveled the score at 6-6 with 18:28 on the clock before claiming an 11-10 lead moments later. CSU took a 14-11 lead with a bucket from Jarrett Adderton and a pair of free throws from Wisdom Uboh. James led CSU in the run with six points while Uboh tallied six as well.
 
CSU followed up the next stretch of play with an 11-8 run led by four points from Jordan Mitchell as well as three more from Uboh to lead 25-19. Flagler battled in an 11-6 stretch of play to pull CSU's lead down to just one point with less than six minutes to play. However, scores from Kordell Brown and James moved the CSU advantage to 35-30.
 
The Cougars moved to a 43-34 lead with less than three minutes to play, led by four more points from James as the team went 4-of-5 from the field in the stretch. Flagler closed out the half with a 9-3 run, but Columbus State remained in control of a 46-43 lead at the half.
 
James and Uboh led the charge in the first half, scoring 14 points apiece while four others followed with four points each. CSU finished the half shooting for 60% (18-of-30) from the field and 90% (9-of-10) from the foul line while also leading 15-13 in rebounding.
 
Second Half
 
Scoring was rather scarce in the opening seven minutes of play with CSU holding a 9-7 edge in scoring led by four points from Roman Son. The Cougars struggled shooting 3-of-9 from the field and 0-3 from long range, but held a 55-50 lead despite the struggles.
 
Columbus State would go on to extend the lead out to 10 points over the next five minutes with an 11-6 scoring stretch led by six points from Adderton. A 9-0 run in response from the Saints took the Cougars by surprise, cutting the deficit down to one point, however, that was the closest Flagler would get for the rest of the evening.
James and the Cougars utilized the next two and half minutes to notch a 12-4 run to help secure the road victory. James finished the final few minutes with seven points to capture the 78-69 win.
 
Inside the Numbers

• CSU shot for 50% (29-of-58) from the field, 29.4% (5-of-17) from three, and 68.2% (15-of-22) from the foul line.
• James totaled 21 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 9-of-14 from the field.
• Adderton followed with 16 points while Uboh gathered 14.
• Son led CSU with seven assists.
• The Cougars narrowly edge out the Saints in rebounding, 33-31.
• CSU is now 15-7 all-time versus Flagler and snapped a two-game skid with the win. 

Next Up

• Columbus State travels to Clayton State on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.