CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Joey Chealey scored 29 points, two off his career high, and Cameron Johnson added 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Charleston beat Charlotte 81-72 on Saturday night.

Charleston took control of the game when Grant Riller accounted for seven points with a 3-pointer, layup and a jumper at the beginning and end of an 11-0 run in a two-minute span that put the Cougars up 17-7 with 11:43 before halftime.

The 49ers continued to trail by double digits until the game's final three minutes. Najee Gavin led Charlotte (1-2) with 19 points, Andrien White had 17 on 6-of-9 shooting and nine rebounds and Jon Davis had 16 points.

Charlotte leads the all-time series 12-10, but the Cougars have won six of the last 10 contests in the series. The last time the two teams met was Dec. 16, 2014 with Charlotte coming away with a 90-85 overtime win.