Box Score MEMPHIS—The Christian Brothers University Bucs opened the game with a 17-4 run and never looked back on their way to a 69-54 win over North Alabama Thursday night in their first Gulf South Conference home game of the season.

After building the early lead, the Bucs (7-3, 2-0 GSC) never allowed the Lions (9-2, 2-1) closer than four points again.  When the Lions did close within four, at 25-21 with 17:13 remaining, the Bucs responded with a Cory McArthy (St. Louis, Mo./Christian Brothers College HS) backdoor layup.  Sidy Sall (Dakar, Senegal/Seeds Academy) scored the next seven points on a layup, a free throw, and back-to-back dunks.  After five UNA points, Michael Drake (Little Rock, Ark./Catholic HS) followed with a pair of baskets in the paint and a three-pointer to extend the Bucs' lead to 41-26 with 10:28 remaining.  The Lions never came within 12 points again.

Drake scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Bucs, while McArthy scored 15 with seven rebounds.  Trey Casey (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) scored 14, and Sall added 13 with six rebounds and three steals off the bench.  Four different Bucs logged three steals each as the Bucs' team total of 15 steals were the fifth-most in school history, five off the record set in 2006 against Central Bible.

The Bucs held UNA's leading scorer, Rashaun Claiborne, scoreless on 0-for-10 shooting.  Claiborne entered the game averaging 16.5 points per game, good for fifth in the GSC.  Bruce Adams led the Lions with 12 points, followed by 11 from Corey Ricks and 10 by Wes Long.

The Bucs shot 53.2 percent (25-of-47) from the floor to the Lions' 31.8 percent (21-of-66).  CBU out-rebounded the Lions 36-34, but UNA held a 14-4 edge in offensive rebounds and forced 19 turnovers while committing 17.

The Bucs return to action Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. as they take on Union for the first time since 1997.