Cougars Continue Homestand With Hofstra On CofC Basketball Alumni Weekend

Saturday, January 20

TD Arena

4:00 PM

College of Charleston

Hofstra

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Cougars Continue Homestand With Hofstra On CofC Basketball Alumni Weekend

1/19/2018 4:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Hofstra Game Notes

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (13-6, 4-3 CAA) vs. HOFSTRA (12-7, 5-2 CAA)
Game #20
January 20, 2018 • 4:00 p.m. (ET)
TD Arena/John Kresse Court (5,100)
at Charleston, S.C.

Television: SportsLive
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM)
Series History: Series Tied 4-4
Last Meeting: CofC def. Hofstra, 76-72, on Feb. 16, 2017 in Hempstead, N.Y.
Internet: Free Live Statistics at www.CofCStats.com
Live Video: Live Video at www.collegesportslive.com/?media=567915
Tickets: www.CofCSports.com/tickets
Twitter: @CofCBasketball

THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Fourth Year at CofC: 64-54
Fourth Year Overall: 64-54
Hofstra: Joe Mihalich
Fifth Year at Hofstra: 81-71
20th Year Overall: 346-274

TELEVISION (SportsLive)
Play-By-Play: Jeff McCarragher
Color Analyst: Mack McCarthy

RADIO (College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
Color Analyst: Danny Johnson

GAME PREVIEW
The College of Charleston men's basketball team (13-6, 4-3 CAA) continues its homestand this week with Hofstra (12-7, 5-2 CAA) for the featured CAA Basketball Game of the Week on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 4 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. The matchup will be a digital broadcast on CBS SportsLive. The Cougars are currently one-game out of first place in the latest league standings, while the Pride sit in a three-way tie for first with William & Mary and Northeastern. Winners of two of its last three games in conference play, CofC will have a quick one-day turnaround to prep for Hofstra after a close 80-76 win over defending champion UNCW on Jan. 18. Last season, the Cougars swept the regular-season series between the two schools for the first time since joining the Colonial in 2013. The Pride carries a three-game win streak into TD Arena including a recent 90-63 rout of Delaware. Charleston looks to protect its home court where it is a perfect 9-0 this season and 31-9 overall (.775) over the last three years under head coach Earl Grant having won 11 straight since the end of the 2016-17 campaign.

A LOOK AT THE PRIDE
Hofstra is led by reigning CAA Player of the Week Justin Wright-Foreman, who is averaging a league-leading 25.1 points per game, which ranks No. 3 nationally. The Pride has averaged 90.5 points over the course of their last two games – a 91-86 (+5) road win at Drexel on Jan. 13 and 90-63 (+27) blowout of Delaware on Jan. 18. They have won five of their last six and are 6-2 on the road this season. Back in November, Hofstra went 1-2 against the ESPN Charleston Classic tournament field with a first-round win over Dayton and losses to Clemson and Auburn at TD Arena.

COFC BASKETBALL ALUMNI WEEKEND
The Cougars will kick-off College of Charleston Basketball Alumni Weekend festivities with their annual alumni game to be held on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 11:30 a.m. (ET) at TD Arena. Admission is free and open to the public. However, a ticket will be required for admission into the men's basketball game later that day against Hofstra at 4 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. Alumni scheduled to participate include: former NBA All-Star Anthony Johnson, Stacy Harris, Sedric Webber and Thaddeous "The Shaq of the TAAC" Delaney. Legendary CofC Head Coach John Kresse and former Head Coach Bobby Cremins will be on opposite ends of the sidelines coaching the Maroon and White squads. CofC Athletics will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the program's 1998 NCAA Tournament appearance and welcome back members from that team at the first media timeout of the Hofstra game.

GAME PROMOTIONS
Join College of Charleston Athletics for the men's basketball program's Retro Game versus Hofstra on Saturday. The team will wear shooting shirts with the school's 1990's athletics logo. Those exact shirts, along with other items that are part of "The College Classics" line, will be available for purchase in the Spirit Shop located on the concourse of TD Arena. The first 500 fans and 500 CofC students will receive a free mug at entry. The CofC softball program will also host its silent auction on the concourse before the game and the inaugural Baby Race will take place at halftime.

COUGARS ON THE AIRWAVES
Fans can listen to all CofC men's basketball games throughout the 2017-18 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 TD Arena alongside color analyst Danny Johnson on the College of Charleston Radio Network.

PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#13 Joe Chealey, G, 6-4, 190, Sr. (17.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.9 apg, 35.2 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 195, So. (15.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 32.8 min)
#12 Cameron Johnson, G, 6-4, 200, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 32.9 min)
#5 Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 250, Jr. (17.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 31.0 min)
#23 Nick Harris, F, 6-10, 260, Jr. (6.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.5 apg, 25.9 min)

PROJECTED HOFSTRA STARTERS
#4 Desure Buie, G, 6-0, 160, Jr. (4.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 17.6 min)
#3 Justin Wright-Foreman, G, 6-1, 185, Jr. (25.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 37.6 min)
#5 Eli Pemberton, G, 6-5, 197, So. (15.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 33.6 min)
#15 Stafford Trueheart, F, 6-8, 200, So. (3.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.1 apg, 11.8 min)
#11 Rokas Gustys, F/C, 6-9, 260, Sr. (10.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 28.3 min)

SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between College of Charleston and Hofstra is tied 4-4. The last three games in the series have been decided in single digits including a four-point victory by the Cougars on the road (76-72) on Feb. 16, 2017 in Hempstead, N.Y. It marked their first-ever road win at Hofstra since joining the CAA in July of 2013.

LAST EIGHT GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 76-72 (+4) on Feb. 16, 2017 in Hempstead, N.Y.
W, 77-71 (+6) on Jan. 7, 2017 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 63-72 (-9) on Feb. 27, 2016 in Hempstead, N.Y.
W, 72-61 (+11) on Jan. 7, 2016 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 40-73 (-33) on Feb. 25, 2015 in Hempstead, N.Y.
L, 66-71 (-5) on Jan. 8, 2015 in Charleston, S.C.
W, 67-49 (+18) on Feb. 1, 2014 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 71-75 (-4) on Jan. 11, 2014 in Hempstead, N.Y.

UNCW RECAP
College of Charleston 80, UNCW 76
• For the seventh-straight CAA game, College of Charleston went with the starting five of Joe Chealey, Grant Riller, Cameron Johnson, Jarrell Brantley and Nick Harris. For the first time this season, all five starters scored in double figures combining for 71 of the team's 80 points in the ballgame.
• With the win, CofC has now won two of the last three meetings between to the two Coastal schools. However, UNCW still holds a one-game advantage in the all-times series, 13-12. It also was the sixth-consecutive game in the series in which the contest was decided in single digits (+4).
• Joe Chealey recorded a team-high 19 points including four three-pointers against UNCW. He also dished out a team-best four assists and has scored in double figures in 18-of-19 games this season. Chealey has tabulated 1,550 career points to date and surpassed former CofC great and fellow point guard Dontaye Draper (1,541) for sixth all-time on the school's career scoring list.
• Cameron Johnson registered 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from long range versus UNCW. He became the 35th all-time player in school history to record 1,000 points in a career and has now tabulated 1,007 career points to date.
• Jarrell Brantley extended his double-digit scoring streak to seven-straight games in conference play with 16 points and seven rebounds against UNCW. He became the 36th all-time player in school history to join the 1,000-Career Point Club and has recorded 1,015 career points to date.
• Nick Harris turned in a solid night with 10 points, team-high eight rebounds and two blocked shots versus UNCW. It marked his sixth double-figure scoring game of the season.
• Grant Riller recorded double digits for the fifth-straight contest with 16 points including a 4-for-4 performance from the free throw line against UNCW.
• CofC has now drained 10-or-more three-pointers in a contest on four occasions this season. The Cougars made a team league season-high 10-of-21 from long range versus UNCW.
• The Cougars scored 48 first-half points – the second-most this season in the first half behind 53 first-half points against North Greenville on Dec. 10.
• Charleston has now scored 80-or-more points and shot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc in four out of its seven games in league play.

COUGAR SOUND BITES
"We made the shots down the stretch. We had great offensive balance. We got to the free throw line and went 10-for-21 from three. We got it inside. That's something we haven't done a good enough job of in the last two games. We got it inside to Nick (Harris) as well as to Jarrell (Brantley). Our offense is continuing to get better as we go. We have to keep nailing down our defense and figure out how we can improve. Our defense will be the reason why we continue to have success." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on the difference between the home win over UNCW in comparison to the last couple of road losses in conference play

"They (Hofstra) are talented and have some of the better-talented guys in the league. They can really score the ball. They scored 90 (against Delaware). The league is scoring a lot of points. A lot of teams are getting 90 and 85 a night. I'm sure our defense will be tested." – Coach Grant on facing Hofstra for the first time this season

"He (Justin Wright-Foreman) is a good scorer. We played him last year and he really gets a lot of attempts up. They (Hofstra) are a very good offensive team and we are looking forward to another challenge. We're seven games into the conference season right now and we are just trying to get better." – Senior Guard Joe Chealey on the matchup with Hofstra