CLINTON, Miss.-Christian Brothers University freshman guard Jeff Larkin (Cincinnati, Ohio, La Salle HS) scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Bucs to a 79-68 win at Mississippi College Thursday night as the Bucs knocked down 16 three-pointers.

The Bucs (10-8, 7-7 GSC), who led for more than 38 minutes in the game, built a double-digit lead late in the first half, taking a 43-33 lead into the locker room at halftime after a Larkin layup.

After CBU extended its lead to 54-42 on a Drew Hildreth (Memphis, Tenn./Bolton HS) three-pointer, the Choctaws (7-9, 5-9) used a 19-8 run to pull within one point on a Giancarlo Santiago free throw with 8:53 remaining. But Larkin answered with a three-pointer and a layup to keep the Bucs ahead, and he capped a 10-0 run with another three-pointer to give the Bucs a 75-63 cushion with 5:15 remaining, and the Choctaws never came closer than seven points again.

Larkin scored his 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three-point range, adding four rebounds and four assists. Hildreth added 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Charlie Oswald (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) tacked on 16. Ryan Fleming (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) scored 15 with nine assists and six rebounds, and Trey Casey (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) added 13, all in the first half.

Emmanuel Ezejiofo, Tory Rice, Stacey Mack and Tristan Moore scored 11 each for the Choctaws, with Rice grabbing a game-high eight rebounds.

The Bucs shot 56.0 percent (28-of-50) for the game overall, including 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from three-point range. MC was 47.1 percent (24-of-51) overall. The Choctaws out-rebounded CBU 28-26, including a 9-5 edge in offensive boards, but they committed 13 turnovers to the Bucs' 12.

The Bucs return to action Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. as they visit Delta State. Their next home game is Thursday night, Feb. 12, when they host West Florida at 7 p.m.