COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (18-6, 7-4 CAA) vs. DELAWARE (14-10, 6-5 CAA)
Game #25
February 7, 2019 • 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Bob Carpenter Center (5,000)
at Newark, Del.
 
Television: None
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM | 94.7 FM)
Series History: CofC Leads 9-5
Last Meeting: CofC def. Delaware, 71-58, on Jan. 12, 2019 at Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Free Live Statistics at www.BlueHenStats.com
Live Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=brlCb01D8cU
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
 
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Fifth Year at CofC: 95-62
Fifth Year Overall: 95-62
Delaware: Martin Ingelsby
Third Year at Delaware: 41-49
Third Year Overall: 41-49
 
TELEVISION (None)
 
RADIO (College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
 
GAME PREVIEW
With seven games remaining and the Colonial Athletic Association race heating up, the College of Charleston men's basketball team (18-6, 7-4 CAA) goes back on the road this week to take on Delaware (14-10, 6-5 CAA) on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. (ET) in Newark, Del. The Cougars have won four in a row and situated themselves in third place in the latest CAA standings – two and a half games back of current league-leader Hofstra and second-place Northeastern. This week's road tests could prove to be important at the end of the season should tiebreakers be necessary to decide seeding for the 2019 CAA Men's Basketball Championship in March. Delaware is currently in fourth, while Drexel, who CofC will play on Saturday, is in a two-way tie for fifth. Every game counts from this point forward and the Cougars are currently the hottest team in the conference with a league-best four-game win streak. Known for their signature defense, they have held five of their last seven opponents within the 50s including a hard-fought 54-53 victory over Towson on Feb. 2. The Cougars are 9-0 this season when holding opponents to under 60 points. Charleston also ranks No. 41 nationally and tops in the CAA in scoring defense (65.7 ppg). Meanwhile, UD has dropped three of its last four including back-to-back road losses to Elon and William & Mary last week.
 
DELAWARE AT-A-GLANCE
The Blue Hens have four players averaging double figures in scoring this season led by redshirt senior forward Eric Carter (17.0 ppg), who missed the William & Mary game due to injury. In the game prior, he posted a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds at Elon. Delaware heads into a difficult stretch of games playing five of their last nine contests on the road with a break between hosting CofC and UNCW this week at home. In addition, three of their last four games have been decided by just one point. UD is currently tied with Towson holding opponents to a league-best 43.4 shooting percentage from the field and tied with Drexel averaging 26.0 defensive rebounds per game.
 
COUGARS ON THE AIRWAVES
Fans can listen to all CofC men's basketball games throughout the 2018-19 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 the Bob Carpenter Center on the College of Charleston Radio Network.
 
PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#21 Marquise Pointer, G, 6-0, 210, Sr. (4.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 22.6 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 190, Jr. (21.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.0 apg, 35.5 min)
#2 Brevin Galloway, G, 6-2, 215, So. (7.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 25.0 min)
#5 Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 255, Sr. (18.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 33.5 min)
#23 Nick Harris, F, 6-10, 270, Sr. (3.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.3 apg, 19.8 min)
 
PROJECTED DELAWARE STARTERS
#0 Ryan Allen, G, 6-2, 200, So. (15.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 34.5 min)
#1 Kevin Anderson, G, 6-5, 190, So. (10.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 35.0 min)
#4 Darian Bryant, G, 6-4, 200, RS-Sr. (6.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 33.6 min)
#12 Ithiel Horton, G, 6-3, 200, Fr. (13.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, 31.8 min)
#5 Eric Carter, F, 6-9, 235, RS-Sr. (17.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 32.3 min)
 
SERIES HISTORY
College of Charleston boasts a four-game lead in the all-time series with Delaware, 9-5. The Cougars currently own a six-game win streak in the series having swept the regular-season series with the Blue Hens the last two years. However, CofC has only won twice ever on the road at the Bob Carpenter Center (2017 and 2018).
 
LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 71-58 (+13) on Jan. 12, 2019 at Charleston, S.C.
W, 62-54 (+8) on Jan. 25, 2018 at Newark, Del.
W, 93-78 (+15) on Jan. 2, 2018 at Charleston, S.C.
W, 78-65 (+13) on Feb. 23, 2017 at Charleston, S.C.
W, 65-56 (+9) on Jan. 2, 2017 at Newark, Del.
W, 67-63 (+4) on March 4, 2016 at Baltimore, Md.^
L, 59-62 (-3) on Feb. 18, 2016 at Newark, Del.
W, 59-58 (+1) on Jan. 23, 2016 at Charleston, S.C.
L, 68-71 (-3) on Jan. 31, 2015 at Newark, Del.
L, 58-64 (-6) on Jan. 10, 2015 at Charleston, S.C.
^ CAA Tournament
 
TOWSON RECAP
College of Charleston 54, Towson 53
• For the 11th-straight CAA game, College of Charleston went with the starting lineup of Marquise Pointer, Grant Riller, Brevin Galloway, Jarrell Brantley and Nick Harris (7-4).
• With the win, College of Charleston took a two-game lead in the all-time series with Towson, 9-7. The Cougars have now won seven of the last nine meetings between the two schools. It marked only the second time to claim the regular-season series sweep of the Tigers next to the 2015-16 season.
• Zep Jasper came off the bench and scored all 12 of his team-and game-high tying points in the first half against Towson. He went a career-best 4-for-5 from long range in 24 minutes of action. It marked the fifth double-figure scoring game of his career.
• Grant Riller extended his career-best double-digit scoring streak to 19-straight games with 12 points versus Towson. He has now tabulated 1,585 career points to date.
• Jarrell Brantley scored in single digits for the first time in 29-consecutive games played, but led the Cougars with a game-high nine rebounds against the Tigers.
• Both team's defenses made for a low-scoring affair as the Cougars were held to a season-low 54-point output and Towson to the second-lowest opponent scoring output this season (53 points).
• The CofC defense has now held each of its last four CAA opponents to scoring under 60 points.
• The Cougars' bench scored a season-high tying 25 points versus Towson, which tied the Elon game for the most bench production this season on Jan. 24.
 
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"I think we're a better team. We pay a little bit more attention to defense. We took care of the ball at a high level and our execution has been better. We are playing a little tougher. Our bench and rotation is a little more harmonious than it was three weeks ago. We know who we want to put in and those guys have been producing. Hopefully, we can get better the next two days, before we get on the road." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on how different the Cougars have played over the last four games since the team's last road trip
 
"I'm glad that the guys believe that they can win. I think they know we have played the way we are capable of. We focused on what the program stands for and you have to stand for something. We try to stand for taking care of the ball and playing defense. We came back to our identity. I think the last road trip was a hard road trip. We played a hot (Hofstra) team that hadn't lost in 12 games and then we played a rematch of the championship game from last year (with Northeastern). We didn't play great. Neither one of us played great, but they pulled away at the end. It was just a couple of hard games on the road and we lost. Coming back home was good, so we could get our fans involved and they gave us a lot of energy." – Coach Grant on what has developed from the team's last road trip
 
"We definitely need to go in there and show that our will to win is big. We need to get these wins. We need to get back on top. Delaware is a well-coached team. They play solid basketball and have a couple of good scorers. We need to make sure we lock-in on defense, and hopefully, can get the W." – Sophomore Guard Brevin Galloway on the team going back on the road after tough outcomes the last time around
 
"It definitely gives us confidence to go on the road. We know that our defense travels. That's what Coach Grant preaches about. We need to go and play with a lot of enthusiasm and energy. We will be ready." – Galloway on how the four-game win streak at home helped the team's confidence