CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Citadel basketball team fell in a tight battle to College of Charleston 82-74 on Saturday at McAlister Field House. The Bulldogs are now 5-4 on the season and 2-1 at home. Senior Derrick Henry scored a team-high 15 points behind a 6-of-14 effort from the field to lead The Citadel. Senior Quinton Marshall and junior Warren Sledge tossed in 11 points apiece as 12 different Bulldogs found the scoring column. 

The Citadel point guard P.J. Boutte added six points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists in 28 minutes. He spearheaded a Bulldogs defense that forced College of Charleston into 20 turnovers. Head coach Duggar Baucom's team has won the turnover battle in seven of The Citadel's nine games thus far.

The Cougars never led by more than eight points as Saturday's Crosstown Clash featured a back-and-forth, close contest. College of Charleston built a pair of seven-point leads midway through the first half and at the start of the second half, but both times the Bulldogs erased the deficit.

Trailing 26-19, Sledge buried his first of three treys to launch a 12-4 Citadel run. After Zane Najdawi converted a three-point play with a hook shot down low and a free throw, the Bulldogs surged in front 31-30. College of Charleston responded with two transition buckets and took a three-point lead into halftime.

The Cougars jumped ahead 45-38 to start the final 20 minutes of action, but again, Baucom's resilient group battled back and kept within two possessions until the final minute. The Bulldogs began attacking the paint down the stretch and a trio of baskets from Henry, Marshall and Najdawi pushed The Citadel ahead 72-68. Najdawi scored seven points and pulled down three rebounds in his sixth career start.

College of Charleston eventually finished the game on a 14-2 run to edge The Citadel. The Bulldogs wrap up a two-game homestand against Voorhees College on Tuesday before hitting the road to face Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 16 and Campbell on Dec. 19. Tuesday's tip is set for 6 p.m. at McAlister Field House.

For more information on The Citadel basketball, follow @CitadelHoops or visit CitadelSports.com.