Saturday, December 21
TD Arena
4:00 PM
College of Charleston
vs
South Carolina State
Cougars Close Out Non-Conference Play With South Carolina State On Saturday
12/20/2019 7:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (5-6, 0-0 CAA) vs. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (4-6, 0-0 MEAC)
Game #12
December 21, 2019 • 4:00 p.m. (ET)
TD Arena/John Kresse Court (5,100)
at Charleston, S.C.
Television: FloSports
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM | 94.7 FM)
Series History: CofC Leads 14-8
Last Meeting: CofC def. South Carolina State, 83-70, on Nov. 28, 2018 in Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Live Statistics at www.CofCStats.com
Live On-Demand Video: FloSports Subscription at http://bit.ly/2JP6sGV
Tickets: www.CofCSports.com/tickets
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Sixth Year at CofC: 106-71
Sixth Year Overall: 106-71
South Carolina State: Murray Garvin
Seventh Year at SC State: 74-139
Seventh Year Overall: 74-139
TELEVISION AND RADIO (FloSports and College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
Color Analyst: Danny Johnson
GAME PREVIEW
Before the holiday break, the College of Charleston men's basketball team (5-6) will close out non-conference play with South Carolina State (4-6) on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. It will be the final game for the Cougars at home in this decade as they open up their Colonial Athletic Association slate on the road at Drexel and Delaware, before the New Year. Charleston is looking to bounce back from close, single-digit losses to Richmond and No. 25-ranked VCU. Against the Rams, Grant Riller led all scorers with a game-high 26 points and was joined in double figures by Brevin Galloway (25) and Zep Jasper (10). It marked the sixth time this season CofC had three-or-more players in double digits in a single game next to Georgia State (4), Marshall (5), Wake Forest (4), Coker (3) and Richmond (3). Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are coming off a 73-70 setback to USC Upstate on Dec. 18 – the same squad the Cougars beat 74-55 in their season opener on Nov. 5.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT-A-GLANCE
CofC will be the sixth road game in 11 games played this non-conference for South Carolina State. The Bulldogs opened the season at Memphis and also played away at Liberty, Vanderbilt, Austin Peay and Tulsa. They started the month of December strong with non-conference wins over Presbyterian (80-68) and UNC Asheville (90-85) – both at home in Orangeburg. SC State is led in the scoring and rebounding columns by senior forward Damani Applewhite, who is averaging 11.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
GAME PROMOTIONS
Bring a toy to the game for our annual Toy Drive and purchase a ticket for just $5. Tickets are still available for purchase online at: www.CofCSports.com/tickets
COUGARS ON THE AIRWAVES
Fans can listen to all CofC men's basketball games throughout the 2019-20 season on ESPN Radio 910 AM and 94.7 FM 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 along with color analyst Danny Johnson on the College of Charleston Radio Network.
PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#10 Zep Jasper, G, 6-1, 175, So. (7.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 28.5 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 190, Sr. (21.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 32.7 min)
#2 Brevin Galloway, G, 6-2, 215, Jr. (11.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 28.4 min)
#24 Jaylen McManus, F, 6-7, 230, Sr. (8.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 27.2 min)
#20 Sam Miller, F, 6-9, 240, Sr. (6.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 23.0 min)
PROJECTED SOUTH CAROLINA STATE STARTERS
#4 Zach Sellers, G, 6-1, 175, Sr. (7.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 23.8 min)
#5 Ozante Fields, F, 6-7, 225, Sr. (4.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 16.0 min)
#12 Omar Croskey, G/F, 6-5, 200, Fr. (1.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 4.2 min)
#35 Damani Applewhite, F, 6-8, 200, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 29.8 min)
#24 Ian Kinard, F, 6-8, 215, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.4 apg, 24.5 min)
SERIES HISTORY
College of Charleston leads 14-8 in the all-time series with South Carolina State. Last year, the Cougars defeated the Bulldogs, 83-70, behind a game-high 23 points from Grant Riller on Nov. 28, 2018 at TD Arena. CofC is 10-1 all-time when playing the Bulldogs at home since both teams began the series dating back to the 1973-74 season. Since becoming a NCAA Division I member school in 1991-92, the Cougars are 7-1 all-time versus SC State and have won the last seven-straight meetings between the two Palmetto State schools.
LAST EIGHT GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 83-70 on Nov. 28, 2018 (+13) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 80-64 on Dec. 19, 2017 (+16) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 74-54 on Nov. 13, 2015 (+20) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 88-73 on Jan. 2, 2010 (+15) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 94-72 on Nov. 24, 2008 (+22) in Orangeburg, S.C.
W, 70-57 on Nov. 29, 1993 (+13) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 73-48 on Feb. 11, 1992 (+25) in Charleston, S.C.
L, 52-60 (OT) on Jan. 22, 1992 (-8) in Orangeburg, S.C.
VCU RECAP
VCU 76, College of Charleston 71
• For the first time this season, College of Charleston started the lineup of Zep Jasper, Grant Riller, Brevin Galloway, Jaylen McManus and Sam Miller (0-1). It marked Miller's first career start.
• VCU avenged an 83-79 loss to the Cougars a year ago and now leads 5-2 in the all-time series. It was a home-and-home series for both teams, who will see each other again as part of the 2020 ESPN Charleston Classic tournament field next November at TD Arena.
• The Rams were only the third-ever ranked team to play the Cougars in the history of TD Arena (2008–Present) next to No. 5 Louisville in 2012 and No. 9 North Carolina in 2010.
• Grant Riller extended his double-digit scoring streak to 39-consecutive games with a game-high 26 points along with five rebounds and four assists versus the Rams. It marked his eighth 20-point game of the season and 40th of his career. He has now tabulated 2,030 career points to date.
• Brevin Galloway has now turned in back-to-back games in double figures with 15 points on a career-high tying 5-of-9 shooting performance from beyond the arc against VCU.
• For the ninth time of his career, Zep Jasper recorded double figures in scoring with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field versus the Rams.
• Sam Miller registered a near double-double performance with eight points and 12 rebounds against VCU.
• The Cougars scored 46 first-half points, the most in a half this season by the team.
• CofC also shot a season-best 50.0 percent from behind the three-point line (13-of-26) on the wings of five threes from Galloway, three from Riller and two each from Miller and Jasper. Jaylen Richard also contributed a trey in the first half.
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"We have one game left in the non-conference. Obviously, it has been a very challenging non-conference. This will be another good opponent coming in. They (South Carolina State) have won two of their last three games. The most important thing for us to do is try get better the next couple of days. I think we have gotten better throughout our non-conference with CAA play ahead." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on closing out non-conference play this weekend with one more test in SC State
"We wanted to try to take care of the ball and not go every time we broke their press. We wanted to flow into some offense instead of going all the time. We wanted their defense to dictate what we did. We had some great opportunities to attack and we had some late. It was a tale of two halves." – Coach Grant on the VCU game
"We are not worried about it (our 5-6 record). I think I speak for the team, when I say that we are not the type to hit the panic button. We are battle tested. This group has been through a lot. At the end of the day, we will take each game by itself and take it day-by-day. We know the results will start to be in our favor in the future. We have to trust our work, trust our process and let the rest take care of itself." – Senior Guard Grant Riller on if there is a sense of urgency amongst the team after a tough non-conference stretch
"Like Coach Grant always says, 'we have to try to find a way to play Charleston Basketball all 40 minutes.' If we do that, the results will start to go in our favor. That's the biggest thing we have learned and we need to do." – Junior Guard Brevin Galloway on what the team has learned from this tough non-conference stretch
Game #12
December 21, 2019 • 4:00 p.m. (ET)
TD Arena/John Kresse Court (5,100)
at Charleston, S.C.
Television: FloSports
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM | 94.7 FM)
Series History: CofC Leads 14-8
Last Meeting: CofC def. South Carolina State, 83-70, on Nov. 28, 2018 in Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Live Statistics at www.CofCStats.com
Live On-Demand Video: FloSports Subscription at http://bit.ly/2JP6sGV
Tickets: www.CofCSports.com/tickets
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Sixth Year at CofC: 106-71
Sixth Year Overall: 106-71
South Carolina State: Murray Garvin
Seventh Year at SC State: 74-139
Seventh Year Overall: 74-139
TELEVISION AND RADIO (FloSports and College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
Color Analyst: Danny Johnson
GAME PREVIEW
Before the holiday break, the College of Charleston men's basketball team (5-6) will close out non-conference play with South Carolina State (4-6) on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. It will be the final game for the Cougars at home in this decade as they open up their Colonial Athletic Association slate on the road at Drexel and Delaware, before the New Year. Charleston is looking to bounce back from close, single-digit losses to Richmond and No. 25-ranked VCU. Against the Rams, Grant Riller led all scorers with a game-high 26 points and was joined in double figures by Brevin Galloway (25) and Zep Jasper (10). It marked the sixth time this season CofC had three-or-more players in double digits in a single game next to Georgia State (4), Marshall (5), Wake Forest (4), Coker (3) and Richmond (3). Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are coming off a 73-70 setback to USC Upstate on Dec. 18 – the same squad the Cougars beat 74-55 in their season opener on Nov. 5.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT-A-GLANCE
CofC will be the sixth road game in 11 games played this non-conference for South Carolina State. The Bulldogs opened the season at Memphis and also played away at Liberty, Vanderbilt, Austin Peay and Tulsa. They started the month of December strong with non-conference wins over Presbyterian (80-68) and UNC Asheville (90-85) – both at home in Orangeburg. SC State is led in the scoring and rebounding columns by senior forward Damani Applewhite, who is averaging 11.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
GAME PROMOTIONS
Bring a toy to the game for our annual Toy Drive and purchase a ticket for just $5. Tickets are still available for purchase online at: www.CofCSports.com/tickets
COUGARS ON THE AIRWAVES
Fans can listen to all CofC men's basketball games throughout the 2019-20 season on ESPN Radio 910 AM and 94.7 FM 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 along with color analyst Danny Johnson on the College of Charleston Radio Network.
PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#10 Zep Jasper, G, 6-1, 175, So. (7.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 28.5 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 190, Sr. (21.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 32.7 min)
#2 Brevin Galloway, G, 6-2, 215, Jr. (11.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 28.4 min)
#24 Jaylen McManus, F, 6-7, 230, Sr. (8.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 27.2 min)
#20 Sam Miller, F, 6-9, 240, Sr. (6.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 23.0 min)
PROJECTED SOUTH CAROLINA STATE STARTERS
#4 Zach Sellers, G, 6-1, 175, Sr. (7.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 23.8 min)
#5 Ozante Fields, F, 6-7, 225, Sr. (4.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 16.0 min)
#12 Omar Croskey, G/F, 6-5, 200, Fr. (1.0 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 4.2 min)
#35 Damani Applewhite, F, 6-8, 200, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 29.8 min)
#24 Ian Kinard, F, 6-8, 215, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.4 apg, 24.5 min)
SERIES HISTORY
College of Charleston leads 14-8 in the all-time series with South Carolina State. Last year, the Cougars defeated the Bulldogs, 83-70, behind a game-high 23 points from Grant Riller on Nov. 28, 2018 at TD Arena. CofC is 10-1 all-time when playing the Bulldogs at home since both teams began the series dating back to the 1973-74 season. Since becoming a NCAA Division I member school in 1991-92, the Cougars are 7-1 all-time versus SC State and have won the last seven-straight meetings between the two Palmetto State schools.
LAST EIGHT GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 83-70 on Nov. 28, 2018 (+13) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 80-64 on Dec. 19, 2017 (+16) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 74-54 on Nov. 13, 2015 (+20) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 88-73 on Jan. 2, 2010 (+15) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 94-72 on Nov. 24, 2008 (+22) in Orangeburg, S.C.
W, 70-57 on Nov. 29, 1993 (+13) in Charleston, S.C.
W, 73-48 on Feb. 11, 1992 (+25) in Charleston, S.C.
L, 52-60 (OT) on Jan. 22, 1992 (-8) in Orangeburg, S.C.
VCU RECAP
VCU 76, College of Charleston 71
• For the first time this season, College of Charleston started the lineup of Zep Jasper, Grant Riller, Brevin Galloway, Jaylen McManus and Sam Miller (0-1). It marked Miller's first career start.
• VCU avenged an 83-79 loss to the Cougars a year ago and now leads 5-2 in the all-time series. It was a home-and-home series for both teams, who will see each other again as part of the 2020 ESPN Charleston Classic tournament field next November at TD Arena.
• The Rams were only the third-ever ranked team to play the Cougars in the history of TD Arena (2008–Present) next to No. 5 Louisville in 2012 and No. 9 North Carolina in 2010.
• Grant Riller extended his double-digit scoring streak to 39-consecutive games with a game-high 26 points along with five rebounds and four assists versus the Rams. It marked his eighth 20-point game of the season and 40th of his career. He has now tabulated 2,030 career points to date.
• Brevin Galloway has now turned in back-to-back games in double figures with 15 points on a career-high tying 5-of-9 shooting performance from beyond the arc against VCU.
• For the ninth time of his career, Zep Jasper recorded double figures in scoring with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field versus the Rams.
• Sam Miller registered a near double-double performance with eight points and 12 rebounds against VCU.
• The Cougars scored 46 first-half points, the most in a half this season by the team.
• CofC also shot a season-best 50.0 percent from behind the three-point line (13-of-26) on the wings of five threes from Galloway, three from Riller and two each from Miller and Jasper. Jaylen Richard also contributed a trey in the first half.
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"We have one game left in the non-conference. Obviously, it has been a very challenging non-conference. This will be another good opponent coming in. They (South Carolina State) have won two of their last three games. The most important thing for us to do is try get better the next couple of days. I think we have gotten better throughout our non-conference with CAA play ahead." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on closing out non-conference play this weekend with one more test in SC State
"We wanted to try to take care of the ball and not go every time we broke their press. We wanted to flow into some offense instead of going all the time. We wanted their defense to dictate what we did. We had some great opportunities to attack and we had some late. It was a tale of two halves." – Coach Grant on the VCU game
"We are not worried about it (our 5-6 record). I think I speak for the team, when I say that we are not the type to hit the panic button. We are battle tested. This group has been through a lot. At the end of the day, we will take each game by itself and take it day-by-day. We know the results will start to be in our favor in the future. We have to trust our work, trust our process and let the rest take care of itself." – Senior Guard Grant Riller on if there is a sense of urgency amongst the team after a tough non-conference stretch
"Like Coach Grant always says, 'we have to try to find a way to play Charleston Basketball all 40 minutes.' If we do that, the results will start to go in our favor. That's the biggest thing we have learned and we need to do." – Junior Guard Brevin Galloway on what the team has learned from this tough non-conference stretch
Players Mentioned
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