RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — In a game defined by contrasting styles and a relentless underdog, Charleston Southern delivered a stunning road upset, defeating Richmond 77-72 on Sunday at the Robins Center. The Buccaneers, projected by advanced metrics to have less than an 8 percent chance of victory, overcame a significant disparity in free throws and fast-break points by dominating the glass and hitting critical shots late to snap the Spiders’ three-game home winning streak.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final 30 seconds, a chaotic close that saw Charleston Southern execute under pressure while Richmond unraveled. Leading 70-67 with 24 seconds remaining, the Buccaneers’ A’lahn Sumler was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to five. On the ensuing possession, Richmond’s AJ Lopez, who led all scorers with 22 points, connected on a deep 3-pointer to slash the deficit to 72-70 with 19 seconds left, sending a charge through the crowd of 4,888.

Charleston Southern’s composure was tested immediately. Inbounding against pressure, Luke Williams was fouled with five seconds remaining. The guard, who had struggled with turnovers earlier, stepped to the line and drilled both free throws, pushing the lead back to four. Richmond’s final attempt, a rushed 3-pointer from Aiden Argabright, missed as time expired, sealing the Buccaneers’ first win over the Spiders since 2015.

The victory was forged not in the open floor, where Richmond held a commanding 29-3 advantage in fast-break points, but in the half-court grind. Charleston Southern won despite attempting 23 fewer free throws, making only 15 of 23 compared to Richmond’s 25 of 29. The Buccaneers compensated with superior rebounding, winning the battle on the glass 45-35 and grabbing 13 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points. Their work inside was decisive, outscoring Richmond 30-16 in the paint.

Brycen Blaine was the catalyst for Charleston Southern, erupting for a season-high 23 points, including five 3-pointers, to go with seven rebounds. After being held to just three points in his previous outing at Furman, Blaine found his stroke early and often, providing the offensive punch the Buccaneers desperately needed. His back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the first half helped Charleston Southern establish an early lead it would never fully relinquish.

Supporting Blaine was a balanced effort. Sumler finished with 15 points and four rebounds, while Jesse Hafemeister added 12 points and six boards. Reis Jones provided critical interior presence with six points, six rebounds and stout defense.

For Richmond, the loss spoiled a stellar performance from Lopez and an efficient day from Argabright, who contributed 12 points. The Spiders’ offense, however, never found a consistent rhythm, shooting just 33.9 percent from the field. They relied heavily on Lopez’s creation and free-throw shooting to stay close, but were ultimately undone by 13 turnovers and an inability to contain Blaine or secure defensive rebounds in key moments.

Charleston Southern set the tone from the opening tip, hitting its first two 3-point attempts to jump ahead 6-0. The Buccaneers led 39-35 at halftime, weathering several Richmond runs by answering with timely outside shooting. The Spiders’ pressure defense generated 11 steals and helped them stay within striking distance, but they could never string together enough stops and scores to overtake the visitors.

The Buccaneers’ offensive rating of 101.4 points per 100 possessions, while not spectacular, proved just enough against a Richmond squad that managed only 97.6. In a game of 149 total points, the underdog Buccaneers made the final, decisive plays.

With the win, Charleston Southern improves to 9-6 overall and heads into Big South Conference play with significant momentum. Richmond, which entered the game favored by 12.5 points, falls to 10-3 and must regroup before its Atlantic 10 Conference opener. The Spiders will look to rebound when they host George Washington on Wednesday. Charleston Southern’s next contest is at home against UNC Asheville on Jan. 3.