The College of Charleston needed to work for this one. Trailing at halftime, the Cougars rallied behind Jlynn Counter’s 22 points to escape with an 82-78 victory over The Citadel, extending their winning streak in the crosstown rivalry to 14 games.

It has been more than a decade since The Citadel defeated College of Charleston. Wednesday night at TD Arena, the Bulldogs made their rivals earn every point of that continued dominance.

Counter added seven rebounds and six assists to his scoring output, playing the kind of complete game that defines the Cougars when they’re at their best. Martin Kalu contributed 17 points and Connor Hickman added 15 as Charleston spread the scoring load.

Christian Reeves recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, providing the inside presence that helped the Cougars control the glass when it mattered.

For The Citadel, Braxton Williams led all scorers with 24 points in a performance that gave Bulldogs fans reason for encouragement despite the final result. Christian Moore added 19 points and six rebounds, while Logan Applegate chipped in 12.

The Bulldogs (3-9) made this competitive when recent history suggested a comfortable Cougar victory. The halftime deficit tested Charleston’s composure and required the kind of second-half response that separates good teams from mediocre ones.

College of Charleston improves to 6-6 overall and now leads the all-time series 61-40. Since becoming a Division I program in 1991, the Cougars have dominated the rivalry with a 40-6 record against their military college neighbors.

The Citadel faces Richmond Saturday in its final non-conference game, while the Cougars travel to Northern Kentucky on Sunday.