COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (8-4, 0-0 CAA) vs. WESTERN CAROLINA (4-7, 0-0 SoCon)
Game #13
December 22, 2016 • 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Ramsey Center (7,826)
at Cullowhee, N.C.
 
Television: None
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM)
Series History: CofC Leads 20-7
Last Meeting: CofC def. Western Carolina, 57-56, on Nov. 27, 2015 in Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Free Live Statistics at www.CatamountSports.com
Live Video: http://www.socondigitalnetwork.com/wcu
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
 
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Third Year at CofC: 34-42
Third Year Overall: 34-42
Western Carolina: Larry Hunter
12th Year at WCU: 175-194
36th Year Overall: 684-418
 
TELEVISION (None)
 
RADIO (College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
 
GAME PREVIEW
Western Carolina (4-7) will present the final non-conference test for the College of Charleston men's basketball team (8-4) as the two former Southern Conference foes meet up once again on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. (ET) in Cullowhee, N.C. The Cougars are looking to bounce back from a 75-65 loss at LSU on Dec. 19. Joe Chealey is the team's leading scorer (14.3 ppg) and ranks No. 27 nationally in free throws made (64) this season. He has gone 15-for-15 from the charity stripe over the last two games at East Carolina and LSU. Defensively, CofC ranks No. 15 in the country in scoring defense (60.0 ppg) and No. 11 in three-point field goal percentage (27.5%). Last year, the Cougars compiled a 9-4 non-conference record and could do so again under third-year head coach Earl Grant. This is their first road trip to WCU since 2013.
 
A LOOK AT THE CATAMOUNTS
Western Carolina is coming off its third-ever postseason tournament appearance advancing to last year's College Basketball Invitational. All but one player is under six-feet tall on the Catamounts' roster. Their length shows in their rebounding numbers as they currently rank No. 78 nationally in rebounds per game (39.0 ppg) and No. 38 in offensive rebounds per game (13.3 avg.). WCU is fresh off a 70-65 victory over High Point on Dec. 19 – their first home game after a grueling seven-game road stretch against the likes of Marshall, Ohio State, Jackson State, Marquette, Appalachian State, West Virginia and UNC Asheville.
 
CONFERENCE PLAY ON THE HORIZON
After the holiday break, the Cougars will open Colonial Athletic Association play on the road at Elon on New Year's Eve at 2 p.m. (ET) in Elon, N.C., and at Delaware on Jan. 2 at 6 p.m. in Newark, Del.
 
COUGARS ON THE AIRWAVES
Fans can listen to all CofC men's basketball games throughout the 2016-17 season on ESPN Radio 910 AM in Charleston or via a live audio link at: www.charlestonsportsradio.com. Voice of the Cougars Everett German will call the action live from the Ramsey Center on the College of Charleston Radio Network.
 
PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#13 Joe Chealey, G, 6-4, 195, RS-Jr. (14.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.9 apg,  30.8 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 185, RS-Fr. (10.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.7 apg, 20.2 min)
#12 Cameron Johnson, G, 6-4, 200, Jr. (7.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 32.3 min)
#5 Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 250, So. (12.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 31.6 min)
#23 Nick Harris, F, 6-10, 250, So. (5.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.1 apg, 23.9 min)
 
PROJECTED WESTERN CAROLINA STARTERS
#1 Elijah Pughsley, G, 6-1, 170, So. (6.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 22.3 min)
#11 Haboubacar Mutombo, G, 6-5, 190, RS-Jr. (10.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.7 apg, 31.1 min)
#13 Deriece Parks, G, 6-5, 155, Sr. (9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 25.1 min)
#12 Marc Gosselin, F, 6-7, 205, So. (6.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 0.9 apg, 25.7 min)
#44 Adam Sledd, F, 6-8, 220, Fr. (2.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.0 apg, 11.0 min)
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
College of Charleston holds a 20-7 advantage in the all-time series with Western Carolina and has won seven of the last nine meetings between the two schools. Each of the last five contests with the Catamounts in the series have been decided in single digits as the Cougars have won four straight including last year's 57-56 thriller on Nov. 27, 2015 at TD Arena.
 
LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 57-56, in Charleston, S.C. on 11/27/15 (+1)
W, 78-70, in Asheville, N.C.^ on 3/9/13 (+8)
W, 67-65, at Cullowhee, N.C. on 2/20/13 (+2)
W, 62-58, at Charleston, S.C. on 2/9/12 (+4)
L, 62-70, at Cullowhee, N.C. on 2/26/11 (-8)
W, 93-64, at Charleston, S.C. on 1/20/11 (+29)
L, 90-100 at Cullowhee, N.C. on 1/25/10 (-10)
W, 67-48 at Chattanooga, Tenn.^ on 3/7/09 (+19)
W, 78-67 at Charleston, S.C. on 2/11/09 (+11)
L, 68-70 at Cullowhee, N.C. on 2/5/09 (-2)
^ SoCon Tournament
 
LSU RECAP
LSU 75, College of Charleston 65
• The game marked the end of a 2-for-1 series between College of Charleston and LSU. The Tigers now lead 2-1 in the all-time series and avenged a 70-58 loss to the Cougars last year in Charleston.
• Joe Chealey recorded his fifth career 20-point game with a game-high tying 23 points at LSU. He shot a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line – the fifth time this season to shoot flawless from the charity stripe in a game.
• Jarrell Brantley was the only other Cougar to score in double figures with 11 points and five rebounds.
• Nick Harris led the team in rebounding for the fifth time this season with six of the team's 29 rebounds in the ballgame.
• Chevez Goodwin came off the bench and registered seven points, three rebounds and two blocks versus the Tigers.
• The Cougars made the third-most steals in a single game this season at LSU (8).
 
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"Last year, we played Western Carolina and beat them by one (point) at TD Arena. It was a dog fight. Obviously, it will be another challenging game for us on the road. It's the last game for both teams before the Christmas break. Coach (Larry) Hunter is a veteran coach and does a great job with his team and it will be on their home floor. I anticipate that we will have to play well and compete at a very high level to win the game." – College of Charleston Head Coach Earl Grant on closing out non-conference play at Western Carolina
 
"We watched film the next day, learned from our mistakes and quickly moved on. We can't hold our heads down. We know we have plenty of more games left in the season. We just have to be eight points better on the road. If we focus on us and play to our standards, we should have success." – Sophomore guard Marquise Pointer on the team moving past the LSU game and finishing non-conference play strong on the road