COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (21-6, 12-3 CAA) vs. UNCW (9-18, 6-9 CAA)
Game #28
February 17, 2018 • 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Trask Coliseum (5,122)
at Wilmington, N.C.
 
Television: None
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM)
Series History: UNCW Leads 13-12
Last Meeting: CofC def. UNCW, 80-76, on Jan. 18, 2018 in Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Free Live Statistics at www.UNCWStats.com
Live Video: Live Video at http://www.collegesportslive.com/?media=568294
Tickets: www.UNCWSports.com
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
 
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Fourth Year at CofC: 72-54
Fourth Year Overall: 72-54
UNCW: C.B. McGrath
First Year at UNCW: 9-18
First Year Overall: 9-18
 
TELEVISION (None)
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
Riding a nine-game winning streak – which is tied with Michigan State, Xavier, Rider and Savannah State as the fourth-longest in the nation – the College of Charleston men's basketball team (21-6, 12-3 CAA) looks to continue its winning ways with another tough road battle at UNCW (9-18, 6-9 CAA) on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. (ET) in Wilmington, N.C. The CAA Game of the Week will be a digital broadcast on SportsLive. The Cougars pulled out a gutsy 81-78 overtime road thriller at James Madison behind a game-winning three-pointer from reigning CAA Co-Player of the Week Grant Riller, who dropped 32 points versus the Dukes. Every game counts as the league race heats up and first-place CofC is challenged with two of its last three remaining games scheduled on the road including third-place William & Mary in the finale on Feb. 24 in Williamsburg, Va. Northeastern is still one game back of the Cougars in the latest CAA standings, while seventh-place UNCW is looking to avoid a first-round game in the upcoming conference tournament in March. The Seahawks have won two of their last three contests and are 8-4 at home this season. Charleston won both teams' last meeting (80-76) on Jan. 18 at TD Arena.
 
CURRENT NCAA DIVISION I LONGEST WIN STREAK
1. Rhode Island - 16
2. Vermont - 15
3. Grambling State - 10
4T. Michigan State - 9
4T. College of Charleston - 9
4T. Xavier - 9
4T. Rider – 9
4T. Savannah State - 9
 
UNCW AT-A-GLANCE
It's no surprise the Seahawks lead the league and rank No. 8 in the nation in rebounding averaging 41.2 boards per game. Junior big man Devontae Cacok, also the reigning Co-CAA Player of the Week, boasts a league-best 19 double-doubles which is also the second most in the country. He registered 17 points and 21 rebounds in UNCW's 87-63 win over Elon on Feb. 15. The Seahawks also drained 15 three-pointers in the ballgame. Like James Madison, they have been a dangerous team knocking off Hofstra (W, 90-70) on Feb. 10 and taking Northeastern to overtime (L, 100-107) on Feb. 3.
 
WHAT 2 WATCH 4
Senior floor general Joe Chealey is one assist away from recording his third-straight 100+ assist season, while junior big man Nick Harris is one shy of 100 career blocks. Harris has recorded 516 career points, 514 career rebounds and 99 career blocked shots to date. He could become only the seventh player in program history to record 100 blocks in a career in CofC's NCAA Division I era (since 1991-92). He also could become one of only six all-time players to reach 500 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in a career next to former greats Jody Lumpkin, Thaddeous Delaney, Jeremy Simmons, Adjehi Baru and Antwaine Wiggins.
 
COFC ALL-TIME CAREER BLOCKS LIST (NCAA Division I Era)
1. Jody Lumpkin (1997-01) - 238
2. Mike Benton (1999-04) - 224
3. Thaddeous Delaney (1993-97) - 203
4. Jeremy Simmons (2007-11) - 139
5. Adjehi Baru (2011-15) - 126
6. Antwaine Wiggins (2007-12) - 122
7. Nick Harris (2015-Present) - 99
8. Chris Jackson (1989-93) - 97
9. Dustin Scott (2007-09) - 89
10. Rodney Conner (1992-97) - 88
11. Trent Wiedeman (2010-13) - 78
 
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 Trask Coliseum 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. (17.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.7 apg, 35.6 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 195, So. (17.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 32.5 min)
#12 Cameron Johnson, G, 6-4, 200, Sr. (8.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.9 apg, 32.7 min)
#5 Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 250, Jr. (17.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 31.2 min)
#23 Nick Harris, F, 6-10, 260, Jr. (6.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 0.4 apg, 26.7 min)
 
PROJECTED UNCW STARTERS
#4 Jordon Talley, G, 6-1, 180, Sr. (16.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.5 apg, 29.7 min)
#21 Ty Taylor, G, 6-3, 160, RS-So. (13.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 28.6 min)
#1 Jaylen Fornes, G, 6-3, 205, So. (11.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 27.4 min)
#30 Marcus Bryan, F, 6-7, 242, RS-Sr. (5.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 27.5 min)
#15 Devontae Cacok, F, 6-7, 240, Jr. (17.4 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 1.0 apg, 29.1 min)
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Jarrell Brantley recorded his second double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds at James Madison on Feb. 15. Cameron Johnson also joined the double-double club for the first time of his career with 10 points and a career-high 10 rebounds at JMU. In all, four Cougars have turned in double-doubles this year including Nick Harris (10 points and 10 rebounds vs. South Carolina State) and Joe Chealey (26 points and 10 assists vs. Cal Poly).
 
SERIES NOTES
UNCW leads 13-12 in the all-time series with College of Charleston. Last season, the Cougars snapped an eight-game skid in the series between the two Coastal schools winning a 67-66 road thriller on Feb. 2, 2017 in Wilmington, N.C. The last six-straight contests have been decided in single digits. CofC is 3-4 all-time when playing the Seahawks on their home court and 1-4 since joining the CAA in July of 2013.
 
LAST 15 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 80-76 on 1/18/18 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 78-69 on 3/6/17 in North Charleston, S.C.^
W, 67-66 on 2/2/17 in Wilmington, N.C.
L, 59-65 on 1/19/17 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 64-66 on 3/5/16 in Baltimore, Md.^
L, 55-59 (OT) on 2/20/16 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 55-65 on 1/30/16 in Wilmington, N.C.
L, 53-79 on 3/7/15 in Baltimore, Md.^
L, 45-58 on 2/11/15 in Wilmington, N.C.
L, 56-58 (OT) on 1/21/15 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 55-57 (2OT) on 2/22/14 in Wilmington, N.C.
W, 75-70 on 1/22/14 in Charleston, S.C.
W, 100-80 on 12/19/08 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 91-98 on 11/10/07 in Wilmington, N.C.
W, 91-70 on 11/26/06 in Charleston, S.C.
^ CAA Tournament
 
JAMES MADISON RECAP
College of Charleston 81, James Madison 78 (OT)
• For the 15th-consecutive game, the College of Charleston started Joe Chealey, Grant Riller, Cameron Johnson, Jarrell Brantley and Nick Harris.
• With the win, College of Charleston leads 8-4 in the all-time series with James Madison. The Cougars have now won five-straight in the series and claimed the regular-season series sweep of the Dukes for the second-straight year.
• Grant Riller scored a team-high 32 points at James Madison which marked his fourth career 30-point game. He also turned in season highs in steals (4) and blocked shots (2).
• Jarrell Brantley recorded his 19th career double-double and second of the season with 20 points and a season-and game-high 13 rebounds at James Madison.
• Cameron Johnson turned in his first career double-double with 10 points and career-high 10 rebounds at James Madison.
• The Cougars are now 2-1 in overtime games this season next to Siena (W, 68-60) on Nov. 10 and at Drexel (L, 82-87) on Jan. 5.
• Joe Chealey dished out a game-high seven of the team's 11 assists at James Madison.
 
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"Just perseverance, hanging in there, getting stops and finishing the possession with rebounds. We were executing and not getting rushed on offense depending on what defense they (JMU) were in. Not rushing and making the right play. Sometimes when you get down 10 (points) with three minutes left in a game, one way you try to get back is by making plays and being aggressive – and you don't execute. When that happens the lead goes from 10-to-18, because you are making the wrong plays. For us, our guys stayed poised, continued to make the right plays and did not force anything. We were able to force more misses and rebound their first miss. It was a combination of executing on offense and getting stops on defense." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on what the Cougars did in the last minutes of regulation to erase their double-digit deficit at James Madison to force the game into overtime
 
"The next game is always the biggest game and toughest game for us. I haven't looked at the standings or who has been playing whom. I am more focused on us and getting better. Wilmington will be a challenge and we will have to prepare the best we can. Every game is tough. Certainly, the next one is going to be a challenge. You have to embrace hard battles and look forward to those hard battles. That's what the good competitors do. As we continue to move on through this CAA race, we have to make sure we put together a good game plan to put ourselves in a position to have some success." – Coach Grant on the next road game at UNCW