RADFORD, Va. - The Charleston Southern men's basketball team outscored Radford 9-1 in overtime for a 70-62 win Thursday, Jan. 27, at the Dedmon Center. Kelvin Martin scored a career-high 24 points, including five points in the final 33 seconds of regulation to force overtime.

With Thursday night's win, CSU advances to 12-10, including 6-4 in Big South contests. Radford is now 4-16, 1-9 in conference contests.

The Buccaneers led by 14 points, 55-41, with eight minutes left before a 20-1 Radford skein gave the home team a 61-56 lead. Martin's five points in the last 33 seconds sent the game into overtime. CSU shut the Highlanders down in OT, to the tune of a 9-1 score.

CSU's free-throw shooting was on point, as the Bucs shot 26-of-29 from the stripe. The Bucs held a 41-34 edge on the glass. Both defenses played well, as each team shot under 40 percent from the field. Radford recorded 15 steals to CSU's 10.

Martin led all scorers with 24, setting a new career high, and added 13 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. Jamarco Warren scored 14 points, and Jeremy Sexton added 10. Sheldon Strickland contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and two steals.

Blake Smith recorded 15 points and five steals to lead Radford, while Jeremy Robinson added 10 points and five steals. Tolga Cerrah chipped in with 11 points.

Looking to speed up the tempo from the outset, CSU utilized a pressing defense. The Bucs took a quick 5-0 lead with a three-pointer by Warren and a basket by Martin. Following four straight Radford points, CSU staged a 9-0 rally, with Sexton and Martin combining for CSU's points to extend the lead to 10 at 14-4.

Faulkner hit a three to end CSU's run, and Allen Dickerson added a layup to make it 14-9. Sexton answered with a three-pointer, and the score read 17-9 with 12:50 showing on the first-half clock. Radford pulled to within six, 17-11, with two free throws. Martin sank a layup, extending the lead to eight at 19-11.

Radford then went on a 12-2 run over the next seven minutes, tying the score at 21-21 with 4:35 remaining in the first half. Blake Smith hit a three-pointer to open the burst, and Daniel Mitchell scored five unanswered points of his own.

Martin ended the Radford rally with a layup at 4:07, ending a nearly six-minute-long scoring drought while placing CSU back in the lead by two, 23-21. The teams traded baskets during the final four minutes of play, and CSU carried a 32-28 lead into the locker room at halftime.

CSU owned the boards, 18-8, during the opening session but the Bucs committed 11 first-half turnovers, which RU converted into 15 points. Martin scored 14 markers on 6-of-6 shooting during the first half for CSU, while Sexton recorded eight points.

Radford drew even at 32-32 by scoring the first four points of the second half, as Cerrah connected on a pair of layups. CSU then reclaimed the lead with a traditional three-point play from Warren with 16:16 remaining. Warren's points spurred an 11-0 run, leading CSU to a 43-32 advantage, as Martin and Strickland added three points apiece during the surge.

The Highlanders pulled to within seven, 43-36 with a brief 5-0 skein. Six consecutive CSU points extended the run to 17-4, making the score 49-36 with 10:26 left. The Bucs led 55-41 following a Mitchell dunk with 8:20 to go.

Radford then scored the ensuing 13 points over a nearly six-minute span to trim the margin to one, 55-54. Blake Smith drained two triples and Johnathan Edwards and Allen Dickerson added layups during the surge by the Highlanders.

Following a made free throw by Mitchell, the Highlanders tied the contest at 56-56 with a pair of charity tosses by Blake Smith. Edwards gave RU its first lead since the opening minutes with a free throw, 57-56, at the 2:07 mark. Robinson capped a 20-1 rally by making two free throws for a 61-56 lead.

Martin sank a deep triple, the third of his career, with 33 seconds left in the game to bring the Bucs to within two, 61-59. After a steal by Strickland, Martin hit two big free throws with 26 seconds on the clock to tie the ballgame at 61. A full 40 minutes failed to provide a winner, forcing overtime to be played.

CSU will next take the court Saturday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., competing at High Point to conclude its four-game road swing. The Highlanders remain at home, playing host to Coastal Carolina Saturday at 6 p.m.