COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (2-3, 0-0 CAA) vs. WESTERN CAROLINA (6-2, 0-0 SoCon)
Game #6
December 18, 2020 • 7:00 p.m. (ET)
TD Arena/John Kresse Court (5,100)
at Charleston, S.C.
 
Television: FloSports
Radio: College of Charleston Radio Network (The Zone 94.7 FM | 910 AM)
Series History: CofC Leads 23-7
Last Meeting: CofC def. Western Carolina, 77-74, on 11/10/18 in Cullowhee, N.C.
Internet: Live Statistics at www.CofCStats.com
Live On-Demand Video: FloSports Subscription at https://bit.ly/2ZN9NQq
Tickets: www.CofCSports.com/tickets
Digital Game Program: www.CofCSports.com/publications
Twitter: @CofCBasketball
 
THE COACHES
College of Charleston: Earl Grant
Seventh Year at CofC: 120-82
Seventh Year Overall: 120-82
Western Carolina: Mark Prosser
Third Year at WCU: 32-39
Fourth Year Overall: 37-62
 
TELEVISION AND RADIO (FloSports and College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
Color Analyst: Danny Johnson
 
GAME PREVIEW
The College of Charleston men's basketball team (2-3) will close out its home non-conference slate with Western Carolina (6-2) on Friday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. (ET) at TD Arena. Expect another dog fight between the Cougars and Catamounts, who were former rivals during the old Southern Conference days. After taking the last week off to focus on final exams, Charleston is ready to get back on the hardwood. In the team's last outing, sophomore guard Brenden Tucker led the Cougars to a 90-63 victory over South Carolina State on Dec. 11. He turned in a perfect stat line from the field, long range and free throw line to end the night with a career-high 16 points. Junior guard Zep Jasper is currently on a career-best four-game double-digit scoring streak, while redshirt freshman forward Dontavius King has come off the bench and notched double figures in three of the last four contests. The CofC defense will look to contain the nation's 33rd-best scoring offense as WCU is averaging 85.0 points per game. The Catamounts also rank 10th in the country in 3-point field goals made (76).
 
A LOOK AT THE CATAMOUNTS
The Catamounts have won five of their last six games including overtime wins versus Tennessee Tech (76-75) on Dec. 6 and at North Carolina A&T (104-98) on Dec. 12. They beat Colonial Athletic Association foe UNCW in their season opener (98-76) on Nov. 25, but recently lost at VCU (68-93) on Dec. 15. WCU got good news on Wednesday as junior forward Cory Hightower, a transfer from Presbyterian College, was granted a blanket waiver to compete immediately this season. Western Carolina is led by preseason All-SoCon Team selection and veteran guard Mason Faulkner, who is averaging a team-leading 16.8 points per game.
 
COUGARS ON THE AIRWAVES
Fans can listen to all CofC men's basketball games throughout the 2020-21 season on The Zone 94.7 FM and 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
#12 Zep Jasper, G, 6-1, 170, Jr. (14.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 26.8 min)
#0 Payton Willis, G, 6-4, 190, Gr.-Sr. (11.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 31.4 min)
#3 DeAngelo Epps, F, 6-5, 200, So. (3.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.8 apg, 20.8 min)
#4 Dontavius King, F, 6-7, 240, RS-Fr. (9.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.6 apg, 15.2 min)
#33 Osinachi Smart, C/F, 6-8, 240, Sr. (5.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 26.2 min)
 
­PROJECTED WESTERN CAROLINA STARTERS
#2 Matt Halvorsen, G, 6-1, 183, Sr. (16.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 38.3 min)
#4 Tyler Harris, G/F, 6-7, 195, So. (9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 28.6 min)
#11 Mason Faulkner, G, 6-1, 190, RS-Sr. (16.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.7 apg, 36.8 min)
#13 Xavier Cork, F, 6-9, 235, So. (16.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 27.1 min)
#25 Ahmir Langlais, F, 6-7, 218, RS-Fr. (4.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.0 apg, 13.6 min)
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
College of Charleston holds a 23-7 advantage in the all-time series with Western Carolina. The Cougars have won the last seven meetings between the two schools. Aside from Davidson, WCU has been the most continuous series against a former SoCon rival since CofC joined the Colonial in 2013.
 
LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 77-74, in Cullowhee, N.C. on 11/10/18 (+3)
W, 69-60, in Charleston, S.C. on 11/30/17 (+9)
W, 77-59, in Cullowhee, N.C. on 12/22/16 (+18)
W, 57-56, in Charleston, S.C. on 11/27/15 (+1)
W, 78-70, in Asheville, N.C.^ on 3/9/13 (+8)
W, 67-65, at Cullowhee, N.C. on 2/20/13 (+2)
W, 62-58, at Charleston, S.C. on 2/9/12 (+4)
L, 62-70, at Cullowhee, N.C. on 2/26/11 (-8)
W, 93-64, at Charleston, S.C. on 1/20/11 (+29)
L, 90-100 at Cullowhee, N.C. on 1/25/10 (-10)
^ SoCon Tournament
 
DID YOU KNOW?
• The Cougars made the most three-pointers in a single game (19) in school history at Western Carolina (W, 100-90) on Jan. 25, 2010 in Cullowhee, N.C.
• College of Charleston Assistant Coach Eric Wilson, who is in his second season with the Cougars, is a 2008 graduate of Western Carolina. He was a former four-year point guard and defensive specialist for the Catamounts from 2004-08. Wilson played in 109 career games with 56 starts and later served on the coaching staff at his alma mater for six seasons.
 
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"I'm very impressed with their team. They put together some really good players. They have a good scheme. (Head Coach Mark) Prosser is doing a good job with his program. They present a unique challenge with their ability to make shots. They can score the ball inside as well. They are off to a good start. We had a lot of time this week to prepare for them. We have to be ready to play the game tomorrow. We've always had dog fights with them in the past." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on Western Carolina
 
"DeAngelo Epps, Brenden Tucker and Cam Copeland. All of them will get opportunities as well as Keegan Harvey and D'Avian Houston. We have been in this situation before a couple of years ago. It changes a little bit with how you play and what you want to do. You make the adjustment, make the change and you try and go out and compete." – Coach Grant on the loss of graduate senior guard Brevin Galloway in the lineup  
 
"Brevin has reacted very cool and very calm about it. He is in high spirits. He will bounce back even stronger. He is a very energetic guy. He is a love guy. Everyone loves to be around Brevin. He is a funny dude. We were very sad about the injury, but we told him, 'just keep your head up. We are going to fight for you and try to win a championship for you.'" – Junior Guard Zep Jasper on teammate Brevin Galloway
 
"That's 15 points (lost). But, I think we have people that can step-up like Brenden Tucker, DeAngelo Epps and Cameron Copeland. It's just about who's name will be called and who's ready to take Brevin's place." – Jasper on the team adjusting to Galloway not being in the lineup for the rest of the season
 
"The first couple of games. There were bumps in the road. We are trying to put the pieces together. We aren't 100 percent yet. We are still fighting. But, I think we will be good in the long run." – Jasper on how the team has battled through adversity in just the first five games of the season