Cougars and Huskies Meet Again, This Time In CAA Semifinals

Monday, March 11

North Charleston Coliseum - North Charleston, S.C.

8:30 PM

College of Charleston

Northeastern

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Photo by: Rafael Suanes/CAA

Cougars and Huskies Meet Again, This Time In CAA Semifinals

3/11/2019 12:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball

CAA Semifinals Game Notes

#3 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (24-8) vs. #2 NORTHEASTERN (21-10)
Game #33
2019 CAA Men's Basketball Championship Semifinals
March 11, 2019 • 8:30 p.m. (ET)
North Charleston Coliseum (14,000)
at North Charleston, S.C.

Television: CBS Sports Network
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (ESPN Radio 910 AM | 94.7 FM)
Series History: CofC Leads 7-6
Last Meeting: CofC def. Northeastern, 88-79 (OT), on Feb. 16, 2019 at Charleston, S.C.
Internet: Live Statistics at http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/tournament.php?tid=228
Live Video: Live Video at http://www.cbssports.com/cbs-sports-network/
Tickets: www.Ticketmaster.com
Twitter: @CofCBasketball

THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Fifth Year at CofC: 101-64
Fifth Year Overall: 101-64
Northeastern: Bill Coen
13th Year at NU: 222-196
13th Year Overall: 222-196

TELEVISION (CBS Sports Network)
Play-By-Play: Dave Ryan
Color Analyst: Pete Gillen
Sideline Reporter: Gary Parrish

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

GAME PREVIEW
For the second-straight year, the third-seeded College of Charleston men's basketball team (24-8) will face second-seeded Northeastern (21-10) in the CAA Men's Basketball Championship, but this time in the semifinals set for Monday, March 11 at 8:30 p.m. (ET) at North Charleston Coliseum. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network. The Cougars and Huskies both reached last year's championship game as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds respectively and co-regular-season champions. Charleston erased a 17-point deficit in the second half to prevail with an 83-76 victory in overtime behind 32 points from former standout Joe Chealey, who is currently a two-way player for the Charlotte Hornets and Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G-League. With different personnel in this year's matchup, the Cougars will rely on the same defensive principles that led them to the championship title and Big Dance. They have held their last two opponents – UNCW and Drexel – to their lowest scoring outputs (61 points) of the season, while scoring 70-or-more points in their last eight contests. CofC has won 10 of its last 12 games, while Northeastern has won 14 of its last 16. Two of the last three meetings between the Cougars and Huskies have been decided in OT and postseason play. Expect another battle as both teams vie for a spot in tomorrow's championship game against the winner of top-seeded Hofstra (26-6) or fifth-seeded Delaware (17-15).

NORTHEASTERN AT-A-GLANCE
The Huskies advanced to the semifinals with an 80-59 win over 10th-seeded UNCW in the quarterfinals, to set-up the much-anticipated rematch with Charleston. They return junior guard Shawn Occeus, who missed the last nine regular-season games due to a leg injury. Northeastern had three players score in double figures versus the Seahawks including 21 points from redshirt junior guard Jordan Roland, while Occeus played 16 minutes with five points and two rebounds. NU's squad features All-CAA First Team selection Vasa Pusica, who is averaging a team-best 17.8 points and 4.3 assists per game. He had 30 points in last year's championship game loss to the Cougars.

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 North Charleston Coliseum along with color analyst Danny Johnson on the College of Charleston Radio Network.

PROJECTED COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON STARTERS
#21 Marquise Pointer, G, 6-0, 210, Sr. (4.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.2 apg, 23.6 min)
#1 Grant Riller, G, 6-3, 190, Jr. (22.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.1 apg, 35.5 min)
#2 Brevin Galloway, G, 6-2, 215, So. (7.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg, 25.4 min)
#5 Jarrell Brantley, F, 6-7, 255, Sr. (19.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 34.0 min)
#23 Nick Harris, F, 6-10, 270, Sr. (3.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.2 apg, 18.5 min)

PROJECTED NORTHEASTERN STARTERS
#4 Vasa Pusica, G, 6-5, 210, RS-Sr. (17.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.3 apg, 35.0 min)
#22 Donnell Gresham, G, 6-1, 203, RS-Jr. (9.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 33.7 min)
#12 Jordan Roland, G, 6-1, 171, RS-Jr. (15.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.7 apg, 30.7 min)
#20 Bolden Brace, G/F, 6-6, 225, Jr. (10.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 31.2 min)
#30 Anthony Green, F, 6-10, 252, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.5 apg, 23.4 min)

GOING FOR 25
The Cougars are one win away from recording 25 wins on the season for only the ninth time in the program's NCAA Division I Era (1991-92 to Present). It would mark the third-consecutive campaign under head coach Earl Grant that CofC achieved 25-or-more wins behind 25 and a NIT First Round appearance in 2017 and 26 and a NCAA First Round appearance in 2018. Grant would become the first head coach in the program's Division I Era to have his teams record 25-or-more wins in three-straight seasons.

WHAT 2 WATCH 4
Jarrell Brantley is six points away from surpassing former College of Charleston great Greg Mack (1981-85) for third all-time on the school's all-time career scoring list with 1,896 career points to date. Of the Top 3, he would become the school's second all-time leading scorer in the program's NCAA Division I history next to 2011 NBA Draft Pick Andrew Goudelock, who amassed 2,571 career points from 2007-11. Brantley is also four blocks shy of becoming the only player in program history to rank in the Top 10 in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks. He currently ranks 11th in career blocked shots (84) behind former player Rodney Conner (10th, 88).

SERIES NOTES
College of Charleston holds a one-game lead in the all-time series with Northeastern, 7-6. Both teams split the regular-season series with the Cougars' winning the last meeting (88-79) in overtime on Feb. 16 at TD Arena. The Cougars have won five of the last six meetings between the two schools.

LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 88-79 OT (+9) on Feb. 16, 2019 at Charleston, S.C.
L, 60-69 (-9) on Jan. 17, 2019 at Boston, Mass.
W, 83-76 OT (+7) on March 6, 2018 at North Charleston, S.C.^
W, 69-64 (+5) on Feb. 1, 2018 at Boston, Mass.
W, 82-66 (+16) on Jan. 11, 2018 at Charleston, S.C.
W, 85-71 (+14) on Feb. 18, 2017 at Boston, Mass.
L, 72-73 (-1) on Feb. 9, 2017 at Charleston, S.C.
L, 57-58 (-1) on Feb. 25, 2016 at Boston, Mass.
W, 68-61 (+7) on Jan. 28, 2016 at Charleston, S.C.
L, 56-65 (-9) on Feb. 28, 2015 at Charleston, S.C.
^ CAA Tournament

COUGAR SIDEBARS
• Sophomore reserve center/forward Osinachi Smart will have his parents, Amobi and Comfort, in attendance at the CAA Men's Basketball Championship during the quarterfinals and semifinals. This is their first trip to the United States from their native Nigeria. Smart came to the U.S. in August of 2013 and attended high school in Greensboro, North Carolina. His older brother, Ikenna, graduated and played for the University of Buffalo and is a graduate senior forward at Wake Forest. The Smart Family will travel to the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament in Charlotte on Tuesday.

• CofC is now 6-1 all-time (.857) when playing in a CAA Tournament game held at the North Charleston Coliseum. This is the last year of the three-year tournament run at the venue. Last summer, the CAA signed a three-year agreement with Events DC to host the next three CAA Men's Basketball Championships at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. The Cougars are 14-7 all-time (.667) at the NCC in postseason tournament games having played in the Southern Conference Tournaments held at the venue in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

DREXEL RECAP
College of Charleston 73, Drexel 61
• The Cougars started Marquise Pointer, Grant Riller, Brevin Galloway, Jarrell Brantley and Nick Harris for the 17th time this season (11-6).
• With the win, College of Charleston takes an 11-6 lead in the all-time series with Drexel. The Cougars have now won seven of the last nine meetings between the two schools including two years in a row in the CAA Quarterfinals.
• Grant Riller topped the 20+ point mark for the 21st time this season with a game-high 24 points versus Drexel. He extended his double-digit scoring streak to 27 games.
• Jarrell Brantley registered 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals versus Drexel. He has now tabulated 1,896 career points and 957 rebounds to date.
• Sam Miller turned in his fourth double-figure scoring game with 12 points off the bench against Drexel. He provided half of the team's 24 bench points in the contest.
• The CofC defense held Drexel to a season-low 61 points. It was the second-straight game where the Cougars held their opponent to their season low for points including 61 points versus UNCW on March 2 in the regular-season finale.
• The Cougars have shot 51% or better from the field in three of their last four games including 51.8% (29-of-56) versus Drexel.
• CofC dished out 17 assists versus Drexel, which was tied as the second-most this season in a single game.

COUGAR SOUND BITES
"We are playing against a good (Northeastern) team. It's the second round. We played them twice during the year. All of these games are a battle. They have good personnel and have experience very similar to us. They have a good coaching staff. We know it will be a challenge, but it is March, and it should be a challenge this time of the year." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on moving on to the semifinals to play Northeastern for the third time this season

"The bench pushes our starters in practice. It's a very competitive bench. I'm not surprised and they (Riller and Brantley) aren't surprised with the bench. They have been helping us the last couple of months. They have been doing a great job of working hard in practice to prepare themselves for those moments. They are young and haven't been in those situations before. We have these two guys who have been around for years and do a good job of talking to them and letting them know what to expect. They are great leaders." – Coach Grant on the team's bench play

"Like Grant (Riller) said, our fans did a good job of bringing us a little bit of peace. But I can attest to that, too. I think I had a little bit of nerves. It was good to get the first one out of the way. We have a few young guys and they got to play. This is a different team from last year. For the majority of the team, we have more leaders now. But, we did have some nerves." – Senior Forward Jarrell Brantley on getting one game under their belt and the rust off against Drexel in the quarterfinals

"Northeastern is a good team. They matchup with us really well like Coach (Grant) said. The coaches will do a good job of preparing us. We have to make sure we lead the younger guys. I'm sure if we follow the game plan and stick to our (defensive) principles, we will be fine. We definitely need to do a better job with defensive rebounding than we did against Drexel." – Brantley on Northeastern