Men's Basketball Set for Field of 68 Tip-Off

Friday, November 7

Lynchburg, Va.

6:00 PM

College of Charleston

Liberty

Tickets

11/6/2025 4:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Watch Live Stats Listen Tickets Game Notes

LYNCHBURG, Va. - The College of Charleston men's basketball team travels to Liberty University for the third annual Field of 68 Tip-Off event hosted by the Field of 68 Media Network. The Cougars join the Flames and the Florida Atlantic Owls in the third installment of the round robin mid-major showcase event.

STORYLINES

Charleston will open play vs. Liberty on Friday, November 7 before taking on Florida Atlantic November 8. The Field of 68's Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster will be onsite in Lynchburg for the entire event, hosting pre-game shows and the network's popular After Dark show following the games.
The Cougars hosted last season's event at TD Arena, defeating FAU 119-116 in 2OT and falling to Liberty 68-47. FAU hosted the inaugural event in 2023 where the Cougars topped Liberty 76-67 and fell to FAU 90-74.
Friday's game will be Charleston first game against a Division I opponent this season after defeating Division II Tusculum 79-58 Monday night in Charleston.
Six different Cougars ended the night scoring in double figures, led by rookie Chris Davis Jr. and redshirt sophomore Chol Machot with 14 points. Machot and graduate student Kendall Taylor recorded their first Cougar double-doubles in the contest.
The Cougars committed five turnovers, the lowest total of the Mack era and fewest since February 10, 2024 vs. Drexel. In turn, Charleston caused 18 Tusculum turnovers.
The Charleston big men controlled the paint all evening with Clemson transfer Christian Reeves going 5-7 from the field while Machot ended 6-9.

LAST TIME OUT

The Cougars opened the 2025-26 season with 79-58 win over Tusculum Monday night at TD Arena.
Jlynn Counter scored the first Cougar points of 2025-26 followed by an emphatic Reeves dunk and a Martin Kalu triple to help Charleston take an early 11-4 lead. Tusculum came within one point before Machot converted a second chance bucket to end the Cougar drought.
Charleston held Tusculum scoreless for nearly three minutes, forcing the Pioneers to go 0-5 from the field and score just nine more points in the half to take a 41-20 lead into the locker room. The Cougars ended the frame on a 6-0 run, highlighted by ten points in the half for Counter to lead the home team.
Reeves continued the momentum out of the locker room with another emphatic dunk to start the second half. The Cougars maintained control, earning 22 points off Pioneer turnovers to cruise to Charleston's fifth straight opening night victory.
Charleston won the rebounding battle 51-47.

PRESEASON RUMBLNGS

The Cougars were picked to finish third by the league's coaches, receiving one first place vote and 130 total points. Towson was picked as the front runner, collecting seven first place votes and 136 points. UNCW received the remaining five first place votes with 132 points.
Charleston joins Towson as the only two schools with more than one representative on the All-CAA First and Second teams with Colby Duggan earning a spot on the All-CAA First Team and Mister Dean being named to the All-CAA Second Team. Duggan was a unanimous first team selection after transferring to Charleston from CAA foe Campbell.
The Cougars are ranked No. 13 in the preseason College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 and No. 8 in the Field of 68 MidMajor Top 25.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES

Liberty opened the season with a 98-57 win over Kentucky Christian. Brett Decker Jr. had a career-high 29 points, and Zach Cleveland (13 points, 10 rebounds) notched a double-double. Decker Jr's eight threes in that game are tied for the third most in a single contest in program history.
Liberty is 1-3 all-time against Charleston.
The Flames were picked to finish first in the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. Kaden Metheny and Colin Porter were named to the 2025-26 CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference team.

HOW TO WATCH

Friday's game from Liberty Arena will air live on The Field of 68 YouTube channel with Matt Warner, Jeff Goodman, and Rob Dauster on the call.
As always, Cougar fans can listen to The Voice of the Cougars Everett German on the Varsity App.