Non-Conference To Pit Cougars vs. Defending National Champs Villanova
7/14/2016 5:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Click Here For 2016-17 CofC Men's Basketball Schedule
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston men's basketball non-conference slate will pit the Cougars against defending national champion Villanova, and six other teams which advanced to postseason play a year ago.
The Cougars will travel to the home court of the Wildcats in a non-bracketed game of the ESPN Gildan Charleston Classic on Nov. 23 at The Pavilion in Villanova, Pa. It will mark a third-time meeting between both schools and the first since the opening-round game of the 2006 Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
CofC will host Allen University (S.C.) in its lone exhibition game in the preseason on Nov. 4, followed by its season opener versus crosstown rival The Citadel on Nov. 11 at TD Arena.
This year's edition of the ESPN Gildan Classic will feature CofC, Boise State, Mississippi State, UCF, UTEP, Villanova, Wake Forest and Western Michigan. The Cougars will face Boise State in a first-ever meeting in the opening round on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. (ET) on ESPN3 at TD Arena. They will then face either Mississippi State or UCF in the next round on Nov. 18.
The home slate also features rematches with Navy on Dec. 1 and former Southern Conference rival and NIT participant Davidson on Dec. 4 at TD Arena. USC Upstate travels to the Lowcountry for a post-Thanksgiving break matchup on Nov. 27 at TD Arena, while the Cougars will play host to Anderson University in a post-final exams game on Dec. 11 at the North Charleston Coliseum – site of the 2017 Colonial Athletic Association Men's Basketball Championship on March 3-6, 2017 in North Charleston, S.C.
Aside from the Villanova game, road trips also include at CIT semifinalist Coastal Carolina on Nov. 14 in Conway, S.C., at East Carolina on Dec. 15 in Greenville, N.C., at LSU on Dec. 19 in Baton Rouge, La. And at CBI participant Western Carolina on Dec. 22 in Cullowhee, N.C.
Game times, television games and the CAA schedule will be released at a later date. Last season, the Colonial was rated as the ninth-best conference in the country behind the Big 12, Pac-12, ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, SEC, Atlantic 10 and American. Conference foes UNCW advanced to the NCAA Tournament, Hofstra to the Postseason NIT and Towson to the Vegas 16.
Under the direction of third-year head coach Earl Grant, CofC returns CAA Rookie of the Year, All-CAA Third Team and All-CAA Rookie Team selection Jarrell Brantley (Columbia, S.C.), All-CAA Third Team and All-Defensive Team selection Cameron Johnson (Athens, Ga.), All-CAA Defensive Team member Payton Hulsey (Memphis, Tenn.) and All-CAA Rookie Team selection Marquise Pointer (Jonesboro, Ark.).
SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
College of Charleston Basketball season tickets can be renewed starting today and new season tickets will go on sale on Aug. 1. This year's season-ticket package includes 13 home games at TD Arena (excluding the free admission exhibition game on Nov. 4, the ESPN Gildan Charleston Classic on Nov 17, 18 & 20 and the North Charleston Coliseum game on Dec. 11).
Season tickets are priced at: $225 for Lower Level & Upper Side Court, $150 for Upper Level End Zone, $150 for CofC Faculty & Staff and $99 for CofC Young Alumni.
For more information, please contact the CofC Ticket Office at: (843) 953-COFC.
