CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston continues a home swing when the Cougars host UNCW on Monday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. ET.  The game will air on FloSports. Tickets can be purchased here.

STORYLINES

• Charleston Basketball is coming off yet another close victory last Sunday, clipping Elon, 65-61 to earn its first Colonial Athletic Association win of the season and the first of Pat Kelsey's coaching tenure. 
• CofC has played in nailbiters in eight of their last nine contests. Seven of those eight games have been decided by four or fewer points with CofC going 5-2 in those seven matchups. The Cougars have had clutch game-winning buckets against Presbyterian, Chattanooga and Old Dominion, giving CofC plenty of experience when games go down to the wire as league play unfolds. 
• Charleston counted on that experience when Elon made a late push Sunday, as senior Dimitrius Underwood came up clutch with a game-winning forced turnover and two free throws to ice it.
• Charleston improved to 24-9 all-time vs. Elon and the Cougars have won six of the last eight meetings with the Phoenix. 
• UNCW heads into Monday having also played its fair share of tight games, including four games in a row decided by single digits (all four Seahawk victories).
• CofC now turns to its first of two rivalry matchups with UNCW. The Cougars are looking to snap a two-game skid against the Seahawks on Monday. The all-time series between the two schools is deadlocked at 15-15. CofC has won two of the last three matchups vs. the Seahawks at TD Arena.
• Entering Monday, UNCW has won five games in a row. Charleston is seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since beating Tulane and Presbyterian on Dec. 7 and Dec. 12, respectively. 
• CofC continued its trend in "bounce-back games". After losing to Delaware and beating Elon in its next matchup, Charleston improved to 4-1 this season when responding to a loss. Before this season, Pat Kelsey hadn't lost two straight games since Feb. 10 and Feb. 13, 2020. 
• Kelsey is just five victories shy of the 200-career win mark. He is now 111-45 league record in league play as a head coach, averaging an impressive 12.2 league wins per year over nine seasons. Over his last 39 games as a head coach, Kelsey is 32-7. 
• A key to victory for CofC this season has been quick starts. The Cougars are 7-2 when leading at halftime this season. CofC got out to a 16-6 start on Elon on Jan. 9. 
• Charleston has won seven of the CAA's nine CAA Rookie of the Week awards this season. Ben Burnham snagged his third of the season after a 12-point, 4-rebound, 2-block outing vs. Elon.

MEEKS COMING BACK STRONG

• Senior John Meeks Meeks was sidelined for three games due to a foot injury, but made his comeback Dec. 31 vs. Delaware. He posted 17 points in the loss, leading CofC in scoring for the fifth time in 10 game appearances. Then against Elon, he erupted for a team-high 19 points and seven boards.
• Over his career, Meeks has now racked up 38 double-digit scoring games while grabbing at least seven boards on 19 occasions. Dating back to 2019-20, Meeks' teams are 14-4 when he scores in double figures. 
• Meeks is 136 points shy of the 1,000-career point club. He ranks third in the CAA in scoring (14.8 PPG), 18th in rebounding (5.2) and 10th in free throw percentage (.806).  Meeks is on pace to become the seventh different Cougar to average at least 14.0 PPG since Charleston joined the CAA.
• He is quietly putting together a historic 45-40-80 shooting season, shooting 45.1 percent overall, 40 percent from 3 and 80.6 percent from the charity stripe. Since 1998, only Jermel President, Willis Hall and Andrew Goudelock have posted a season shooting 45, 40 and 80 in those categories, so Meeks is on his way to joining esteemed company. 
• Meeks ripped off a season-high 22 points at Oklahoma State, the most by any individual against the Cowboys this season. He's scored in double figures in nine of 11 games and at least seven points in all 11 game appearance in 2021-22.
• Meeks started this senior season with a bang, leading the Cougars with 17.7 PPG at the Rising Coaches Classic on 46.3 percent shooting overall and 43.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Against Loyola, he added a career-high six assists and eight rebounds. He's the sixth Cougar since 2010 to tally at least 18, 8 and 6 in the same game  - joining Grant Riller, Jarrell Brantley, Andrew Lawrence, Canyon Barry and Joe Chealey. 

THE STEALS KING

• Senior Dimitrius Underwood racked up four steals vs. Delaware and five steals against Elon. Has 3+ steals in six different games this season, the most since Brevin Galloway in 2019-20. He has 5+ steals in three games already. Since 2010, only Underwood, Galloway and Andrew Lawrence have had three games of 5+ steals in the same season at The College. His 2.43 steals per game clip is ninth nationally and leads the CAA. Underwood has a steal in each of the last 11 games dating back to Nov. 13.
• Underwood is leading CofC in rebounding (6.6), offensive boards 29 total), steals (29 total) and assists (45 total) while chipping in 10.0 PPG & normally guarding an opponent's lead guard. 
• He's averaging 10.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals. He is the only player nationally in all of college basketball averaging those numbers in every category this season.

GAMEDAY REMINDERS

• If you selected mobile tickets, add your tickets to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay App prior to arriving at TD Arena for the smoothest entry experience.
• Don't forget the College of Charleston has implemented a Clear Bag Policy for athletics events . CLICK HERE to read the policy. (Link: https://cofcsports.com/sports/2018/10/23/college-of-charleston-athletics-clear-bag-policy.aspx )
• In accordance with College of Charleston policy, face coverings are required at TD Arena.

 
UP NEXT

• Charleston hits the road to face Towson on Jan. 20 and James Madison on Jan. 22. 
• Both games are set to air on FloSports.