COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (9-4, 0-0 CAA) vs. ELON (8-5, 0-0 CAA)
Game #14
December 31, 2016 • 2:00 p.m. (ET)
Alumni Gym (1,607)
at Elon, N.C.
 
Television: None
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM)
Series History: CofC Leads 16-6
Last Meeting: CofC def. Elon, 66-62, on Feb. 13, 2016 in Elon, N.C.
Internet: Free Live Statistics at www.ElonStats.com
Live Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/elon/
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
 
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Third Year at CofC: 35-42
Third Year Overall: 35-42
Elon: Matt Matheny
Eighth Year at Elon: 116-120
Eighth Year Overall: 116-120
 
TELEVISION (None)
 
RADIO (College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
 
GAME PREVIEW
The College of Charleston men's basketball team (9-4) will tip-off Colonial Athletic Association play on New Year's Eve at Elon (8-5) on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. (ET) in Elon, N.C. The Cougars continue to move up in the NCAA statistical rankings as one of the top defensive programs in the country in the categories of scoring defense (14th, 59.9 ppg), field-goal percentage defense (61st, 39.7%) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (5th, 28.0%). Meanwhile, the Phoenix enter the league opener ranked No. 19 in the nation in three-point field goals per game (9.8 avg.) and No. 21 in total three-point field goal attempts (362). Prior to the break, the Cougars won on the road at Western Carolina (77-59) on Dec. 22, while Elon battled Duke (L, 61-72) on Dec. 21 and Central Penn (W, 89-60) on Dec. 28 to close out non-conference action. CofC has won six of its last seven contests and is currently ranked No. 22 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll – one of only two league schools in the poll next to No. 3 UNCW. Elon previously appeared in the poll on Nov. 28. Both schools are the two youngest members of the CAA – joining the league in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The Cougars are led by redshirt junior guard Joe Chealey, who ranks No. 7 among conference scoring leaders (14.5 ppg), and sophomore forward Jarrell Brantley – last year's CAA Rookie of the Year – who is tied as the league's third-leading rebounder (7.8 rpg). Both squads split the regular-season series a year ago winning on each other's home court in single-digit thrillers that included a 66-62 road victory for The College on Feb. 13, 2016 at Alumni Gym.
 
SCOUTING ELON
The Phoenix were picked to finish eighth in the preseason CAA Poll and started off the season 7-1 – the best start for the program in 29 years. Four players are averaging double figures including leading scorer Brian Dawkins (12.8 ppg), who is also shooting 57.1 percent from the field, which ranks No. 39 nationally. Elon sophomore forward Tyler Seibring was tabbed a preseason CAA Honorable Mention selection and ranks among the Top 20 league leaders in scoring (19th, 12.4 ppg) and rebounding (10th, 6.4 rpg).
 
COFC ALL-TIME IN CAA OPENERS
College of Charleston is 2-1 all-time in CAA openers and will commence the conference season on the road for the third-straight year. Last season, the Cougars opened league play at James Madison (W, 65-62) on Dec. 31, 2015 in Harrisonburg, Va. In its inaugural campaign as members of the Colonial in 2013-14, CofC claimed its first-ever CAA win over James Madison (75-61) on Jan. 7, 2014 at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C., and as second-year league members –  a loss at William & Mary (L, 45-75) on Jan. 3, 2015 in Williamsburg, Va.
 
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 Alumni Gym on the College of Charleston Radio Network.
 
PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#13 Joe Chealey, G, 6-4, 195, RS-Jr. (14.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg,  31.3 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 185, RS-Fr. (10.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.9 apg, 21.1 min)
#12 Cameron Johnson, G, 6-4, 200, Jr. (7.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 31.1 min)
#5 Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 250, So. (13.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 31.8 min)
#23 Nick Harris, F, 6-10, 250, So. (5.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.1 apg, 23.8 min)
 
PROJECTED ELON STARTERS
#13 Dainan Swoope, G, 6-0, 190, So. (9.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.1 apg, 27.2 min)
#22 Steven Santa Ana, G, 6-4, 190, So. (12.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 28.5 min)
#2 Dmitri Thompson, G, 6-4, 205, Jr. (7.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 22.0 min)
#00 Brian Dawkins, F, 6-8, 240, RS-Jr. (12.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.8 apg, 24.5 min)
#41 Tyler Seibring, F, 6-8, 225, So. (12.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 31.2 min)
 
SERIES HISTORY
College of Charleston leads 16-6 in the all-time series with Elon. The Cougars hold the edge having won eight of the last 10 meetings between both schools extending back to the Southern Conference rivalry years which included two face-offs in postseason-tournament play held in Asheville in 2013 and Chattanooga in 2011.
 
LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 66-62, at Elon, N.C. on 2/13/16 (+4)
L, 64-65 at Charleston, S.C. on 1/16/16 (-1)
W, 77-63 at Charleston, S.C. on 2/18/15 (+14)
W, 66-50 at Elon, N.C. on 1/14/15 (+16)
W, 68-60 at Asheville, N.C.^ on 3/11/13 (+8)
W, 56-54 at Elon, N.C. on 12/1/12 (+2)
L, 98-99 (2OT) at Elon, N.C. on 2/2/12 (-1)
W, 63-44 at Charleston, S.C. on 1/14/12 (+19)
W, 78-60 at Chattanooga, Tenn.^ on 3/5/11 (+18)
W, 85-67 at Elon, N.C. on 2/9/11 (+18)
^ SoCon Tournament
 
WESTERN CAROLINA RECAP
College of Charleston 77, Western Carolina 59
• College of Charleston improves to 21-7 in the all-time series with Western Carolina. The Cougars have now won five-straight games in the series and twice on the road in that stretch in Cullowhee, N.C.
• For the second year in a row, CofC compiled a 9-4 record against non-conference opponents under head coach Earl Grant.
• The Cougars tallied 77 points in the ballgame, which was the second-most points this season behind an 81-point scoring output versus The Citadel on Nov. 11.
• Joe Chealey turned in his ninth double-figure scoring game of the season with a game-high 18 points at Western Carolina.
• Jarrell Brantley has now scored in double figures in 12-of-13 non-conference games this season. He turned in 17 points and six rebounds at Western Carolina.
• The Cougars knocked down a season-high 10 three-pointers in the ballgame and shot as season-best 50 percent beyond the arc (10-of-20) against the Catamounts.
• The 18-point margin of victory tied a season high next to an 18-point victory at East Carolina on Dec. 15. It was also the largest margin of victory in the series with Western Carolina since 2011 (+29).
• Western Carolina was the fifth opponent this season to be held in the 50's or less by the CofC defense. The Cougars are now 7-1 on the season when holding opponents to 30 points or less at halftime.
 
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"We had a tough non-conference schedule. We knew it was going to be tough and went 9-4. There were about two-or-three other games that we won that were really hard against higher-level teams from the Mountain West, Atlantic-10 and American (Conferences). We got some really good wins. All of four losses, were against really good teams who were in the Top 50 in the RPI aside from LSU. I wish we could have won another game or two. We had chances, we were close and just came up short. I'm proud of where we are. We were able to go spend some time with our families and came back to regroup for CAA play." – College of Charleston Head Coach Earl Grant on non-conference play
 
"We have to stabilize everything that we do. We have to defensive rebound better. We have to do a better job of keeping people off the glass. We are capable of it. It's skewed because we make other teams miss so much and they have so many opportunities to go get it. I also want to continue on working on our shooting. This is a team that is capable of scoring in the high 60's and mid 70's every night. If we can do that, we will always have a chance to win." – Coach Grant on things the team needs to work on from what he saw during the non-conference slate heading into CAA competition