COLUMBUS, GEORGIA — The University of South Carolina Beaufort men's basketball team faced Columbus State on the road Saturday afternoon and came away with a thrilling 77–75 victory, as Evan Kilminster knocked down the game-winning shot in the final seconds to lift the Sand Sharks for the second straight game after hitting a buzzer beater against Flagler.

USCB improves to 11–4 on the season and 5–3 in Peach Belt Conference play, while Columbus State falls to 10-5 overall with a 4-3 conference record.

Qurahn Anderson and Ismail Rashid led the Sand Sharks with 16 points each in a balanced scoring effort that featured four players in double figures, with two more finishing with eight points. Dominic Eason and Kilminster also reached double figures. Kilminster led the team with five assists and three steals, while Dylan Lewis grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

The Sand Sharks got off to a slow start as Columbus State opened the game with a 13–0 run over the first five minutes. USCB turned the ball over four times during the stretch before Anderson ended the drought with a basket out of a timeout to make it 13–2. The Cougars maintained a double-digit lead for much of the first half, with USCB trailing by as many as 15 with 9:41 remaining.

USCB trimmed the deficit to single digits following back-to-back three-pointers from Rashid and Eason, followed by a Rashid layup to cut the score to 33–24. Rashid later hit his second three of the half to give him 10 first-half points.

As the Sand Sharks continued to battle back, Kilminster scored his first points of the half to pull USCB within three, the closest it had been in the opening half. Columbus State closed the half with a couple of baskets, sending USCB into the break trailing 43–38.

USCB came out strong in the second half as Kilminster opened the scoring, followed by baskets from Eason and Anderson to give the Sand Sharks their first lead of the game at 44–43 scoring six straight. After Columbus State briefly regained the lead, Kilminster knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 47–47.

The teams traded baskets before Columbus State went ahead 55–49. USCB responded with nine straight points over the next three minutes, as five different players scored and the defense forced three turnovers, giving the Sand Sharks a 58–55 lead.

USCB pushed its largest lead of the game to this point at the 10:16 mark when Lewis connected on a three-pointer off a Kilminster assist to make it 63–57. A Rashid layup later extended the lead to eight with 5:45 remaining. Columbus State answered with an eight-point run to tie the game at 73–73.

The Sand Sharks took a 75–73 lead before the Cougars tied it at 75–75 with 25 seconds remaining. Kilminster then delivered the decisive basket, sinking a jump shot with two seconds left to give USCB a 77–75 lead. The Sand Sharks secured the victory with a final defensive stop for the Sand Sharks third straight win to start 2026.