COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (5-6, 3-1 CAA) vs. NORTHEASTERN (5-5, 4-0 CAA)
Game #12 and #13
January 16, 2021 • 1:00 p.m. (ET)
January 17, 2021 • 1:00 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: Northeastern Leads 9-7
Last Meeting: Northeastern def. CofC, 65-51, on Feb. 15, 2020 in Boston, Mass.
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: 123-85
Seventh Year Overall: 123-85
Northeastern: Bill Coen
15th Year at NU: 246-218 (.530)
15th Year Overall: 246-218 (.530)
 
TELEVISION AND RADIO (FloSports and College of Charleston Radio Network)
Play-By-Play: Everett German
Color Analyst: Danny Johnson
 
GAME PREVIEW
Riding a season-best three-game win streak, the College of Charleston men's basketball team (5-6, 3-1 CAA) prepares for what is sure to be a Colonial Athletic Association battle with unbeaten Northeastern (5-5, 4-0 CAA) this weekend on Saturday, Jan. 16, and Sunday, Jan. 17 at TD Arena. Tipoff on both days is slated for 1 p.m. (ET). It's always a rivalry game when these two teams meet on the hardwood, but with a lot of new faces on both sidelines. The Huskies are currently in first place in the latest league standings followed close behind by the Cougars in second. Graduate senior guard Payton Willis, who is averaging a team-best 14.2 points per game, brings veteran leadership from his time in the Big Ten Conference and SEC prior to transferring to Charleston. He has led the team in the scoring column in five of the team's last six contests. Next to Northeastern, the Cougars are the hottest team in the league behind their series sweep of Drexel last weekend and a 35-point career performance from sophomore guard Brenden Tucker, who earned honorable mention weekly honors from the conference office. He is one of only 31 players currently in NCAA Division I to score 35-or-more points in a single game. As a team, CofC also ranks among the nation's best (No. 53) and is tops in the CAA in three-point field-goal percentage shooting 37.2 percent from long range this year.
 
A LOOK AT THE HUSKIES
With a loss of six significant players from last year's squad, Northeastern boasts one of the youngest teams in the country with no seniors. Four players are averaging double figures in scoring including 16.4 points per game from sophomore guard Tyson Walker. The Huskies are the best sharp-shooting team in the league knocking down 8.7 three-pointers per game which also ranks No. 63 nationally. They are also holding opponents defensively to a 27.5 percent accuracy behind the three-point arc this season (No. 18 in nation).
 
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. (12.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 30.4 min)
#0 Payton Willis, G, 6-4, 190, Gr.-Sr. (14.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 33.6 min)
#5 Brenden Tucker, G, 6-3, 180, So. (8.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 22.5 min)
#21 Lorenzo Edwards, F, 6-8, 215, Gr.-Sr. (3.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.9 apg, 17.5 min)
#33 Osinachi Smart, C/F, 6-8, 240, Sr. (5.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 0.4 apg, 26.9 min)
 
­PROJECTED NORTHEASTERN STARTERS
#2 Tyson Walker, G, 6-0, 170, So. (16.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.6 apg, 33.4 min)
#22 Quirin Emanga, G, 6-5, 220, So. (4.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.3 apg, 16.8 min)
#24 Shaquille Walters, G, 6-6, 200, RS-Jr. (10.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 34.0 min)
#15 Coleman Stucke, F, 6-7, 215, Fr. (6.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, 24.3 min)
#00 Jason Strong, F, 6-8, 210, RS-Jr. (10.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 29.1 min)
 
SERIES NOTES
Northeastern leads 9-7 in the all-time series with College of Charleston. The Huskies have won four of the last five meetings between the two schools including both regular-season games in last year's series. The Cougars last beat NU in an overtime thriller, 88-79, on Feb. 16, 2019 at TD Arena.
 
LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
L, 51-65 (-14) on Feb. 15, 2020 in Boston, Mass.
L, 76-79 (-3) on Jan. 16, 2020 in Charleston, S.C.
L, 67-70 (-3) on March 11, 2019 in North Charleston, S.C.^
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.
^ CAA Tournament
 
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
TD Arena remains one of the toughest home courts in all of college basketball. College of Charleston is 613-138 (.816) all-time on its home court including 68-28 (.708) under Head Coach Earl Grant. Through seven home games played this season at TD Arena, the Cougars are averaging 1,425 fans per game, who were the Sixth Man making the difference in last weekend's series sweep of Drexel in conference play.
 
BENCH PRODUCTION
The Cougars are averaging 70.0 points per game this season with their bench contributing 28.0 percent of that scoring production. Most recently against Drexel, CofC's reserves contributed 28.4 percent of the team's scoring against the Dragons including 21 of its 61 points in the first meeting between both schools on Jan. 9.
 
Most Bench Points This Season
50 Points vs. Limestone on Nov. 28
41 Points vs. South Carolina State on Dec. 11
24 Points at Georgia State on Dec. 21
24 Points vs. Furman on Dec. 5
21 Points vs. Drexel on Jan. 9
 
COUGAR SOUND BITES
"We are making progress. Our guys are really working hard. They are starting to be more connected and buying into what we are trying to do. We have a pretty good rotation with our bench right now. Our bench has been helping us. We have improved a lot over the last three weeks. Certainly, we have an unbelievable challenge this weekend to prepare for with Northeastern in town." – CofC Head Coach Earl Grant on the team's three-game win streak
 
"It's always been battles when we play them. I don't know if you call it a 'rivalry' or not. They are all the way up in the North and we are all the way down in the South. Certainly, we have some history playing in some big games against each other. We have a lot of respect for their program and their coach. It's always good to play against a really good opponent. I just call it a good battle." – Coach Grant on the No. 1 vs. No. 2 game versus Northeastern this weekend
 
"I liked his length and skill during the recruiting process. (Associate Head) Coach (J.D.) Powell and our staff. We really set-out to find a big guy who was skilled. He was really a wing shooter (at Montverde Academy) and now he's a stretch center who can make shots. He's doing great right now and is a rotation guy. He is so much different from Osi (Smart), our starting center, who is more physical and athletic around the basket. Keegan brings a different element when he comes into the game with his ability to pass and shoot the ball. I think they complement each other well. He has been improving. He's gotten better every day as well as bigger and stronger. He deserves to be in the rotation, especially with his ability to change a game with his shooting and passing." – Grant on the recent play of freshman forward Keegan Harvey off the bench