Thursday, March 16
Orlando, Fla.
3:10 PM
College of Charleston
vs
San Diego State
Cougars Primed for NCAA First Round
3/15/2023 3:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ORLANDO, Fla. – CAA Men's Basketball Champion Charleston has earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship and will face No. 5 seed San Diego State on Thursday in Orlando. Action is set for 3:10 p.m. on truTV.
STORYLINES
STORYLINES
- The Cougars enter the NCAA Tournament tied for the nation's best record at 31-3 and is the CAA's highest-seeded team in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship since UNCW was also a No. 12 seed in 2017.
- Charleston won 20 consecutive games from Nov. 14-Jan. 21, captured the Charleston Classic title, and has been ranked or receiving votes in 16 consecutive AP polls
- Charleston is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018, when the Cougars fell to Auburn by four in the First Round.
- The Cougars are in search of their first NCAA Tournament victory since defeating Maryland in a 12 over 5 game in 1997.
- Ryan Larson scored a career-high 23 points in the championship game on his was to being named the tournament's MVP. Ante Brzovic also earned a spot on the All-Tournament. In comparison, Charleston's leading scorer Dalton Bolon was held to zero points in the title game.
- Larson and Bolon have both been named finalists for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year. The award is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball.
- Pat Kelsey, in just his second year of leading the program, was named to the Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year late season watch list and was named the USBWA and NABC District Coach of the Year.
- San Diego State is 27-6 on the year and won the Mountain West Championship on Saturday in Las Vegas. The Aztecs went 15-3 in Mountain West play and are playing in their third-straight NCAA Tournament.
- San Diego State ranks 10th nationally in defensive efficiency and ninth in three-point defense (29.3%).
- The teams have one common opponent in Colorado State. Charleston defeated the Rams in the Charleston Classic while the Aztecs won both Mountain West regular season contests.
- Tipoff is set for 3:10 p.m. on truTV with Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy, and Lauren Shehadi on the call.
- The winner of the Thursday First Round game would play the winner of the game between No. 4 Virginia and No. 13 Furman on Saturday in Orlando.
- As always, fans can listen to the Voice of the Cougars Everett German on the Varsity App.
Players Mentioned
Charleston Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Charleston Southern (11/7/25)
Friday, November 07
Cougars Uncaged Episode 2: Chad Traylor
Thursday, November 06
Charleston Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Tusculum (11/3/25)
Tuesday, November 04
Charleston Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Covenant (11/3/25)
Tuesday, November 04
