WASHINGTON, D.C. – Charleston Basketball lost a tight 60-57 battle to UNCW on Monday night in the CAA Tournament Semifinals, bringing the 2021-22 campaign to a close. The Cougars won 17 games in head coach Pat Kelsey's first campaign at the helm, matching the legendary John Kresse's win total in his first season in 1979-80.
 
After advancing to the CAA Semifinals for the first time since 2019, the Cougars fell just short of the title game in a 3-point loss to the Seahawks. The seesaw physical contest featured 10 lead changes and came down to the wire. CofC had possession down one with 11 seconds remaining, but a charging foul allowed UNCW to escape with the close victory.
 
Senior Dimitrius Underwood was electric in his final game as a Cougar, racking up a team-high 21 points on 10 made field goals and eight rebounds. Freshman Raekwon Horton added 11 points and 10 rebounds to record his first career double-double.
 
The Cougars outrebounded UNCW, 41-31, with 17 offensive rebounds. The second-chance opportunities allowed CofC to weather a tough shooting night for both squads. After UNCW held a 2-point lead at the half, the two teams traded buckets and the lead throughout the final 20 minutes. CofC surged ahead by four on a John Meeks jumper with 6:16 left, but UNCW responded with a 6-0 spurt to seize the lead back.
 
With UNCW leading by three with less than a minute to go, Meeks got a tough bucket in the paint to drop to slice the deficit to just one. CofC would go on to get a clutch defensive stop on the ensuing possession, setting up the Cougars' final possession that was wiped out by the offensive foul.
 
CofC ends the campaign 17-15 overall with seven true road victories.
 
                                                                                                                                                                  
Key Cougars

• Dimitrius Underwood finished in double figures for the 17^th time in 32 games as a Cougar, erupting for a team-high 21 points.
• Raekwon Horton continued his string of great play down the stretch with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds to snag his first career double-double.
• Senior John Meeks tallied eight points and five boards.

 
Game Notes

• The Cougars ended the season grabbing 14+ offensive rebounds for the 17^th time this season and 10+ for the 27^th time.
• CofC outrebounded UNCW by 10 and outpaced opponents by 221 combined boards during the 2021-22 campaign.
• A freshman reached double figures in 26 different games this season after Horton's 11-point outing.