Cougars Look to Wash WVU Taste Out of Mouths with Rivalry Win

College of Charleston (2-4, 0-0)

El Cid (3-3, 0-0)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 7:30 pm on MyTV Charleston and CofCSports.com

The Puerto Rico tipoff package of games (3 on the island, and a non-bracket game against West Virginia a week later) provided the young Cougars with a staunch 4-game stretch of major conference foes. They came out battered (just 1-3 over the stretch) but as we've seen with mid-major conference mates like UNC Greensboro and Delaware, the lumps you take from the big boys in the early season can toughen into calluses that benefit you when the level of play recedes to the mean.

The next three games for the Cougars - all at home - against The Citadel, South Carolina State and Campbell, should provide a better measuring stick for CofC. We've seen flashes of excellence offensively and defensively from Earl Grant's squad, only to have it unravel against the superior athleticism of the Big Six conference teams. The Cougs should be favored in these three home games and need to get back on the positive side of .500 ball in preparation for conference play.

Up first is crosstown rival Citadel. 

After floundering for years as one of the worst programs in Division 1, the peninsula's honorable protectors are skating by with a 3-3 record that doesn't look bad at first glance. Except that they're 0-3 against other D1 teams. Their wins come against the embarrassing likes of Toccoa Falls, Bob Jones (?) and Warren Wilson. They picked up 2 losses as the annual punching bag at the Armed Forces Classic and lost by 11 to Florida State.

So...they're better than usual, in being "semi-competent" in games, but Coach Driesell's team remains one of the lower D1 teams in the country. They're staying in games with their defense and plodding pace of play and being led by junior Ashton Moore. 

This game has all the narrative characteristics of both an easy win and a trap game. Overlooked opponent, long gap between games, the natural emotions of a rivalry etc. Grant and the Cougars should earn their first home victory of the season tonight, but it will be up to them to determine if that is via blowout or drawn-out 50 point stinker. 

Looking Back on Puerto Rico, Looking Ahead to West Virginia

The shot from GMU that was NO good: difference between being 2-3 and 1-4 for CofC.

Last weekend the Cougars spent a few days in Puerto Rico for ESPN's Puerto Rico tipoff, the latest in a gentleman's agreement with the Worldwide Leader: you use our facilities for the Charleston Classic, we get to play in one of your other tournaments.

Given the youth and inexperience of this team and coaching staff, one win out of their three guaranteed games seemed like a reasonable expectation. After playing defending national champion UConn to a last minute nail biter, dropping a winnable game to Texas A&M (a game that Adjehi Baru was forced to sit out) and finally breaking through thanks to a missed buzzer beater by George Mason, the team eventually finished the way we thought they would.

Up next for the Cougars is the team that won that very same tournament: West Virginia University. They're big, tough and aggressive. Powering through the PR Tipoff earned them a Top-25 ranking and they'll surely be a big test for the young Cougs.

"Young" is the key word. The names I'm about to mention below: Canyon Barry, Glen Pierre, Cam Johnson and Evan Bailey are all underclassmen. In Puerto Rico they displayed the inconsistency that we expect from them. CofC was outrebounded in all three games and committed numerous turnovers and fouls in at least two of them. They're correctable errors, which is why I expect Charleston to be much better team by season's end. I just don't expect them to be that much better by the time they play WVU.

UConn - Taking the Champs to the Wire

For the second straight season, the College of Charleston played the defending national champs early in the year. Connecticut is not the team they were last year, but Ryan Boatright and company are still a tough out. The Cougars played this game with a lot of heart and effort, especially defensively, but this was a classic example of one step forward and two steps back.

Fouling was again an issue for Earl Grant's squad. Fouls on offense, fouls on defense and the subsequent effects on possession and free throws negated the stellar defense exhibited by CofC. That was a disappointment, but it should not take the place of positive developments we saw from the guys.

Four starters finished in double figures. CofC held UConn to 32% shooting and 30 points in the first half. Even given the ridiculous free throw disparity, the Cougars were still able to keep the UConn lead at bay thanks to some hot second half shooting from Stitt and Barry. Adjehi Baru, as he has in many big games over his career, looked like he belonged with the UConn bigs.

But unfortunately the Cougs were never able to get over the 5 point hump down the stretch and Connecticut won the game by 7. Worst of all, Baru injured his leg in the final minutes and would miss the next game.

Texas A&M - Glen Pierre? Glen Pierre!

The Aggies are not a great basketball team this year, and this is a game many Coug fans would almost expect to win with a fully healthy roster. Without the inside presence of Baru, it wouldn't be enough.

You could count the number of field goals Texas A&M made outside 5 feet on one hand. They are not a good jump-shooting team, turned the ball over and were playing a very thin and tired-looking CofC team. Fouls were again and issue for the overmatched CofC team, but it did net one positive.

Glen Pierre finally got a chance to contribute something and he looked like a clear upgrade over O'Donohue and Wishon. The little-used sophomore took charges, drew fouls at the basket, had a couple nice blocks and looked to have a better knack for knowing where to be than many of his big man peers.

Even with his unlikely contributions, this Doug Wojcik throwback game was an unpleasant reminder of where this team could be. With both teams playing sloppily through the 40's, two quick scoring spurts late in the game by the Aggies were enough to put this one away. Last year, and at points this year, Charleston has proved they're not the team to consistently score 6 points in less than 3 minutes of game time. They dropped to 0-2 in Puerto Rico.

George Mason - A Win!

Nearly 5 years ago, the Cougars and Patriots played in a narrowly decided Bracketbuster game that eventually went CofC's way (Still have not gotten tired of showing that clip and still hate that douchebag Pearson for trying to decapitate Tony White Jr.). It was the first in many meetings between the two schools that would come down to the final shot.

As Mason's last second three went halfway down into the hoop, only to spin back out, a huge sigh of relief from not going 0-3 in PR rushed through CougarNation. GMU is not very good this year - they'll likely finish at the back of the A-10. But a win is a win and the Cougars desperately needed one to get the confidence they displayed against UConn back for the week leading up to WVU.

CofC started this game slow out the gates, but by God's good grace they finally stopped fouling at such an astounding rate. The offense was kept afloat by a strong, 17 point performance by Canyon Barry and timely contributions from Cam Johnson, Donovan Gilmore and a rested and somewhat recovered Adjehi Baru. Even Evan Bailey made a couple big plays: mixing it up in the paint for a rebound and nailing his first collegiate three within the span of a minute.

There's still work to do on shot selection and general decision making, as well as the technical aspects of not allowing so many offensive rebounds, but the Cougars showed enough potential to leave Puerto Rico in good spirits. I was glad to see them breakthrough and finally get a narrow win - we all know how dispiriting it is when you start to pile up narrow losses.

There's a big difference between a record of 1-4 and 2-3. CofC will look to pull back to .500 on the season when they take on the Mountaineers. At their best, the Cougs can play with anyone. At their worst they can make you pull your hair out in frustration. They'll need to be trending upward by the time they arrive off that country road Saturday.

Cougars Fall Back to Earth, Stumble in Grant's Home Debut

Final Score: Gardner-Webb 80, College of Charleston 67
Top Performers:
Jarvis Davis 22 pts (6-9 3pt), 4-4 FT, 5 rebs
Adjehi Baru 10 pts, 12 rebs

After dismantling a Furman team in their season opener, the Cougars regressed to what could be the mean this season. Against Gardner-Webb in Coach Earl Grant's home court debut, the Cougars looked very much like a team with a first time head coach and only a few month's time to learn a new playing philosophy.

Personal fouls were again an issue for CofC. The refs called this game tight from the very start, enforcing everything from traveling violations to moving picks and hand checks. That did not bode well for a Cougar team that had committed 27 fouls in their previous game.

But the Cougars were not doing themselves any favors with defensive positioning. Way too many times the Bulldog bigs would immediately establish themselves deep in the paint, with leverage and an angle to the basket. That left Baru dead in the water, as he gave up and-1 after and-1. Anytime the Cougars would sag down to offer some help, Gardner-Webb kicked it out for a wide open three from Jarvis Davis or open lane to the hoop. Some of this is coaching - Grant was hesitant to send help as Baru was getting eaten alive, some of it is player personnel and some of it was the players' lack of execution.

The lack of a competent power forward shot the team in the foot after they were able to overcome lack of production from the position in Game 1. Terrance O'Donohue can do some nice things, but he fouled out of the game with 9 minutes to go and did not register a point. David Wishon is what he is. He is a big body, without an offensive game, and he was a sieve on defense last night.

The most productive player in the frontcourt besides Baru, and the most pleasant surprise so far, has been Donovan Gilmore. The Human Pogo Stick sprung his way to 11 rebounds and 10 points in his homecourt debut and looks much better than any other forward off the bench. The problem is that he's not an ideal fit next to Baru. He doesn't have the weight to chip a guy out of position, and as a freshman he still needs time to understand where to be on the floor.

At the end of the day, last night was a reminder that this season will have it's ups and downs. Five of the team's eight rotation players are underclassmen. There's a first time head coach on the sidelines - one of the youngest in the country. The team was robbed of an entire summer of practice. There is no go-to talent on the team yet.

The team will be inconsistent for a while, maybe even the whole season. But they will improve as the year goes on. They'll need to rebound as soon as possible, because up next is the tallest task of the season. The Cougars travel to Puerto Rico to take on defending champion UConn on Thursday. Let's hope to see some positives.

Cougars Cruise to 75-40 Victory in Grant's Debut

 

Final Score: College of Charleston 75, Furman 40

Top Performers:

Adjehi Baru 16 pts, 8 rebs

Anthony Stitt 19 pts, 3-5 3pm-a

The Cougars started the 2014-2015 season strong with a 35-point victory over former SoCon member Furman last night. Shortly before tipoff, word came out that two of the Paladin's starters - Stephen Croone and Aaron O'neill - would both miss the game with concussions. Croone in particular was a big blow. He's the straw that stirs the drink on offense and without him Furman struggled to get good looks at the basket all night. 

So anemic was the Furman offense that they only made 10 field goals for the game (CofC was 31 for 59). Credit the Cougar defense. The contest, deny and box out style of Wojcik's teams is showing signs of phasing out in favor of a more swarming and active style. A little more VCU than Michigan State, which attributed to 8 steals for CofC.

On offense the Cougars leaned heavily on their seniors. Stitt and Baru combined for 35 points, with the former getting to the rim and draining his threes and the latter showing his patience and jump shot around the paint. The ball was moving a lot faster than it did last year. Joe Chealey tied his career high for assists with 7 and CofC as a team had an impressive 20-7 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Donovan Gilmore and Cam Johnson also picked up where they left off in the exhibition game. Both freshmen were leaned on heavily when the score started to stretch itself. Gilmore maintained his efficient stat lines, crunching two dunks off dump off passes and drilling a long jumper. His only misses were off what should have been a wide open alley oop, but the pass was off target and a missed short jumper. Cam Johnson used his big frame to pull down 5 boards and went 2 for 3 from behind the arc in 27 minutes of play. Neither had a turnover.

The battle for the starting forward spot opposite Baru left a little to be desired. Terrance O'Donahue got the nod, but foul trouble for himself (4), David Wishon (4) and Glenn Pierre (3) left the spot as a rotating carousel of bodies. Each one showed signs of what they could do, but Grant was forced to mostly play four guards around Baru or Gilmore for much of the game. TO, Wishon and Pierre combined for just 2 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. 

If there was one area where the Cougars struggled it was the fouling disparity. Furman was able to briefly cut the CofC lead to 4 late in the first half because free throws kept them in it. Furman attempted 35 free throws to just 4 by Charleston. I'm not overly concerned with the ticky-tack calls on the CofC bigs because they can generally get away with those in the CAA. You have to remember these were Friday Socon refs and the game was in Greenville. But you don't want something like being unable to produce easy points come back to bite CofC like it did many times last year. Stitt, Chealey, Barry and Johnson can all get to the rim and finish through contact, I'd like to see more of that on Monday.

The Cougars will host Gardner-Webb for their home opener - a team that plays LSU today in their first game. They're a solid mid-major team and should be healthy for Monday. It will be a good barometer of where the Cougars stand as they head into Puerto Rico. 

Who Starts Opposite Baru?

College of Charleston (0-0, 0-0)
Furman (0-0, 0-0)
Timmons Arena, Greenville, SC
Tipoff at 8:00 pm on ESPN3



The Cougars officially kick off the 2014-2015 season as well as the Earl Grant era when they take on the Furman Paladins tonight up in Greenville. All summer long the starting lineup has more or less been set at four of the five positions: Stitt and Chealey the lead guards, Canyon Barry on the wing and Adjehi Baru manning the middle.



The last spot, opposite Baru, is a toss up and we won't have a definitive answer until the final hour. There are three possible candidates: redshirt junior David Wishon, sophomore Terrance O'Donohue and freshman Donovan Gilmore. Let's take a look at what each one would bring to the starting lineup:



David Wishon

Pros: David has the most experience of any of the potential candidates. Last season he received consistent minutes off the bench as the first big to sub in. At 7'2 he's the tallest player in the CAA and presents major problems for opposing offenses even if he stands still in front of the rim. One thing that makes him a unique choice is that he would play center and Adjehi would move over to power forward. That would mean Adjehi would play facing the basket more often, shooting jumpers - a real skill Adjehi has had for a year or two and something Coach Grant wants to utilize.



Cons: Just as David's size is an advantage, it does create issues for teammates. He's not very mobile, so the team usually needs to wait a beat for him to get set up in the halfcourt. The sheer amount of space he takes up, and the lack of speed to shift also sometimes prevents the guards from driving to the rim.



Overall assessment: Wishon would bring a defensive presence and experience to form an NBA-sized front court tandem with Baru. The hope would be that the rumors of his improved athleticism in practice are true and he is able to facilitate the offense with passing and positioning while being an asset on defense.



Terrance O'Donohue

Pros: Even though he was the highest-ranked player in last year's freshmen class, Terrance only received minimal playing time in a pinch or in a lopsided game under Wojcik. He's still a big body at 6'7 and 225 pounds, capable of banging in the paint and collecting rebounds. His most unique asset would be his ability to make threes - something he was pretty good at in high school. If he can do that, he could somewhat fill the shoes of Willis Hall last year as the team's stretch four. Surrounding Baru with four guys capable of hitting threes would clear up space inside the arc for drives to the basket and one-on-one matchups for Baru.



Cons: Everything we've heard so far about Terrance is speculation. Just as it seemed like he would be penned in to start the exhibition game, he took an elbow to the face from Baru in practice - leaving him with a concussion and a broken nose. That meant sitting out for several days and losing ground on any edge he may have gained over Wishon. We have not seen his three point shot in a real game yet or how he would fare going from little-used bench guy to starter. Even if reports from practice are that he is ready, there's no way of knowing until the regular season has already begun.



Overall assessment: Terrance has the body and potential skill set to fill a role for the team - but we have not seen these skills come to fruition in a meaningful game or for extended minutes.



Donovan Gilmore

Pros: For most of the off-season, it seemed like a two-man competition for the starting forward spot...that is until freshman Donovan Gilmore's performance in the exhibition game. Often tabbed as "athletic" but "raw" by scouts and couches, Gilmore looked like a starting caliber player against Emory. He played within himself, going a perfect 3 for 3 from the field for six points. He also used his trademark athleticism to collect 7 rebounds. Most astoundingly, that production came in just 15 minutes of play.



Cons: If O'Donohue is inexperienced, Gilmore is downright green. He has not yet played in a real college basketball game and still has that "raw" title attached to him. He'll need time to figure out how to use his physical gifts to get to the right spots, read the defense and make the right decisions.



Overall assessment: The potential is there for Donovan to be a great player, maybe sooner than we thought after his exhibition performance, but he is probably best suited as an energy big off the bench for now.


Conclusion: If he's fully recovered from the concussion and broken nose, I think Terrance O'Donohue will likely start the most games out of these three. Grant has already said the sophomore had separated himself from the pack before the injury. Unlike Wojcik, who David followed from Tulsa to CofC, Coach Earl Grant doesn't owe the ginja ninja any playing time. Wishon will be an asset against several teams the Cougs play this year with their tough schedule. His defense and ability to box out will also make him a valuable contributor. What Terrance brings is the versatility and mobility to play inside and out. We'll see who gets the final nod tonight, and it's a competition that could very well carry on all year.

5 Things We Learned from an Exhibition Win Over Emory

Final Score: College of Charleston 78, Emory 68

Top Performers:

Joe Chealey 23 points (6-10 3FG), 4 rebs, 3 assts, 2 stls

Alex Foster 27 pts, 9 rebs, 2 stls

Earl Grant made his unofficial debut as the Cougar's head ball coach Saturday afternoon. After some hot shooting by DIII Emory, the Cougars pulled away (leading by as many as 18 in the 2nd half) and cruised to a 10 point exhibition victory .

After the game, Grant said he intentionally did not have his guys run any set plays. The Cougs had free reign on offense and played pretty basic defense. The focus on this game, according to Grant, was to "play the right way" and make sure everyone on the roster saw some playing time.

Here are a few hot takes and other assorted knee jerk reactions from what is essentially a glorified scrimmage:

1) Joe Chealy is healthy and looking to build off last year

A knee injury just before the CAA Tournament cut short what was a strong freshman year for Joe Chealey. He was a starter from Game 1 of his college career and showed flashes of being a CAA-caliber lead guard with two game-winning plays against UNC Charlotte and a few high assist numbers sprinkled into the season. With more freedom to shoot and run, Chealey had 11 of the Cougs first 20 points and nailed back-to-back threes when Emory went on a little run in the 2nd half. He shot 8-13 from the field including a 6-10 mark from deep. He already has the size and speed to get to the rim, if he can become a more consistent shooter as a sophomore he's due for a big season.

2) The freshmen should be able to contribute early 

Even though they were not his recruits, Coach Grant has been very complimentary of the freshmen during practice. Guard Cameron Johnson got postgame media honors after playing 21 minutes off the bench, scoring 8 points on six shots and grabbing 6 boards. He's a big, stocky combo guard who brings toughness and defense off the bench, but his shooting stroke from behind the arc (2 for 3) and his ability to grab rebounds against other guards was a nice plus. 

Donovan Gilmore, the super athletic forward, has been billed as "raw" but was the most efficient Cougar on the floor. In just 15 minutes of play he had six points without missing on any of his three field goal attempts. He even had a nice slam off a Joe Chealey pocket pass. Gilmore also pulled down 7 rebounds in his time on the court, one shy of leading the team.

3) The Cougars can still be efficient shooters without running down the shot clock

I'm all for efficient offense, but last year the Cougars would hurt themselves more than help whenever they ran the clock all the way down to look for a more open shot. Wojcik was adamant it would make decent shooters into great shooters because you're manufacturing open looks, but all too often players were scared to shoot for fear of being reamed out by CDW on the sideline. What Stitt, Chealey and Barry showed against Emory was that they are just as efficient shooting off a ball screen or dribble as they are waiting for the ball to get kicked to them out of the post. 

So now instead of churning down clock, the Cougars are getting way more opportunities per minute and knocking them down at the same clip. That means more points on the board, less pressure on the defense and fans staying awake in the stands.

4) The jury is still out on Baru

I was hoping to see Baru come out and dominate this game but it didn't quite happen. He did lead the Cougars with 8 boards, but against such an undersized lower division team I wish he had put up a little more offense. He missed a dunk, which happened all too often last year, and only attempted 4 shots. Since coming in as a freshman, Baru seems to only occasionally realize he is the most athletically gifted player in nearly every game. Now a senior, this is the time to play with an attitude on offense and defense and trust the skill set he has refined over the years to complement his physical tools. 

5) There are still some little issues that need tightening

Free throws and turnovers. Those are things you can get away with slipping up on during an exhibition game but could cost you in the regular season. The Cougars earned their "#CardiacCougars" nickname last year because they could not close out games by making free throws and maintaining possession. I can somewhat look past the turnovers because the team was not running plays and is integrating lots of new players. But none of the starters had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. 

Free throws will also need to improve, especially from the guards. Joe Chealey and Adjehi Baru were both 1-3. The team as a whole barely shot 60% despite going to the line 23 times. Hopefully it was just season-opening nerves.

The Cougars have another week to work on these issues and improve upon their performance in exhibition play before taking on Furman in the season opener on Nov. 14. 

The Maroon Tinted Glasses Still Fit

As is tradition on this blog, we like to start each season preview with a look back on the same kickoff post from the previous year. In November of 2013, CofC was entering a new conference with 2nd year head coach Doug Wojcik's cast of Cremins-era holdovers and first signing class rooks. Sounded like a shaky start to the season.

Those were the days. Remember how our biggest gripe last year was whether or not we liked the new athletics logo?

You all know how CofC basketball's summer went. If you happen to have lived under a rock or maybe you missed something, you can get a refresher with Sam Spence's excellent piece for the Charleston City Paper. 

Wojcik's actions are well-documented, but the discontent amongst Cougar fans was palpable by early conference play for pure basketball reasons too. The plodding offense, the stubborn play calling, the neck-vein-pulsing sideline anti-motivating. Fans were just waiting for an excuse to reprimand CDW the way he did his players and they smelled blood in the water at the first sign of trouble on George St.

CofC leadership made a mockery of the institution with the entire handling of the mess that was made this summer, but they eventually settled on the right call. Wojcik was swiftly dismissed and the bumbling search committee, through their own fortune or incompetence, made the right call in passing on former CofC standout Anthony Johnson in favor of Clemson's Earl Grant. 

Grant is the the coach CofC needed then and retains at the helm now. He's already demonstrating his value as the antithesis of Wojcik.

• Isolated fan base? Native Charlestonian Grant has taken a grassroots approach to meeting with Cougar Club members, student leaders and the community at large.
• Boring style of play? Coach Grant is encouraging his guys to take open shots and get out in transition. (hallelujah hallelujah)
• Prickly personality? Character traits are more important here than most jobs and Grant has come across as motivated, sincere and honest in each interview he's given. 

We haven't even played a game yet and EG is checking off items on the CofC fan wish list. We're not going to crown him as the new Gregg Marshall, but the off court results are very good so far.

On the court, the new coaching staff inherits a team that had probably peaked experience wise last season. Gone are leading scorer, rebounder and put-da-team-on-his-back workhorse Willis Hall. So too are sharpshooter Nori Johnson and utility wing Anthony Thomas. That's two starters and the team's 6th man. 

But the cupboard is not completely empty. Adjehi Baru and Anthony Stitt are moving onto their fourth coach in four years after being recruited by Cremins, but have been major contributors their entire college careers. 

Baru is finishing off a career that started with being the highest ranked player to ever commit to the College of Charleston. He's picked up numerous accolades and accomplishments along the way - but never the championship that many thought would lie at the end of the tunnel. After having knee surgery to take care of pain that lingered most of last season, along with Wojcik's defensive fundamentals and new assistant coach Antonio Reynolds-Dean's tutelage, this needs to be the year Adjehi becomes the consistent player he has the skills to be.

Stitt will have the ball in his hands a lot with EG drawing up the plays. At Clemson, Grant coached Anthony's cousin Demontez Stitt to lead the action on the floor. The head ball coach has already spoken highly of Stitt's senior leadership and toughness as characteristics of the type of players he puts his trust in. I for one am excited to see the rim-attacking, defensive pest that was freshman Anthony Stitt unleashed once again. No more slow pace, feed the post, take a contested three Stitt please. 

The rest of last years contributors each showed flashes of excellence. Canyon Barry looked like a surefire candidate to lead the Cougars in scoring as a redshirt freshman before poor shot selection and injuries derailed his season. Joe Chealey was brilliant running point as a true freshman but he too is coming off of injury. Seven footer David Wishon was Wojcik's guy, but he showed enough passing and defensive instincts to warrant a spot in the lineup this year. 

Word is unknowns like Cam Johnson and Terrance O'Donahue are making great strides in practice and will demand playing time - possibly even starters minutes. Then there's the flotsam of under classmen who will hope to be the one to separate themselves and become a contributor. 

As painful as this summer was, the positive vibes coming from the coaches, team and fans should be enough for you to put on the maroon glasses once again. Throw in a winnable conference and some very motivated individuals and it's acceptable to get excited. 

Freaking college basketball is back and it should be a much more exciting time for the Cougars. Cheesy branded hashtags be damned, it's time to Restore the Roar. 

CAA Tournament Preview Extravaganza: Round 1

Friday March 7th

Game 1: #9 UNCW vs #8 Hofstra

The game nobody wanted to play. The winner of this veritable "play-in" game gets the unfortunate task of facing off against top-seeded Delaware less than 15 hours later. Neither the Pride nor the 'Hawks come into Baltimore with any real momentum, but Hofstra does hold the 2-0 series advantage against the Dub this season. The Seahawks seemed to be turning the slightest of corners down the stretch of this season but Dixon and Williams can only do so much. The victor gets congratulated with jeers from CAA fans Saturday afternoon about having not delivered enough jabs to bruise up Delaware before the latter rounds. 

The Pick: Hofstra

Saturday March 8th

Game 2: #1 Delaware vs UNCW / Hofstra Winner

Over/under 25 Flacco jersey-clad UD fans at this tournament? Even as the overall #1 seed in Baltimore, I'm not sure many have bought the Blue Hens as the team to beat. Despite having three All-CAA performers in the starting lineup, the Blue Hens are playing second fiddle to pre-season favorite Towson. In a league full of parity I would be surprised if this game is in question beyond halftime. Delaware had a chip on their shoulder against CofC in the final regular season game and I believe they will carry it into Baltimore. I foresee Upshaw having an inefficient 20+ point game as he tries to shoot Hofstra into the next round but ultimately Saddler, Usher and Baptiste pose too much manpower. 

The Pick: Delaware

Game 3: #4 Drexel vs #5 Northeastern

Now we're getting somewhere. For the middle 80% of the season I saw CofC likely playing in this middle seed matchup. That scenario fell by the wayside when the Cougars dropped their last three games. Like the Cougars, Drexel seems capable of grinding out an upset or two in Baltimore but Northeastern has the most recent win over the Dragons in the season finale and The Beasterton down low. If the college basketball gods are just we'll get a repeat of the fantastic double OT game that these two teams played on January 8th. In similar fashion I think this is going to come down to the wire, with one team making just enough threes late in the game to pull away.

The Pick: Northeastern

Game 4: #2 Towson vs #7 JMU

With the CAA Tournament leaving the familiar confines of Richmond, Virginia, former conference doormat-turned favorite Towson finds themselves defending their own backyard. JMU is a team you don't want to face in a win or go home scenario because their effort levels and outside shooting sway back and forth so violently that they can beat anybody. But the Dukes are still a year or more away from really making noise in the tournament. Benimon, Skerry and Towson have had big aspirations all year - I fully anticipate them taking care of business on Saturday and cruising into the next round.

The Pick: Towson

Game 5: #3 William & Mary vs #6 Charleston

Well well well...now we get to the headliner, the main event (just let me have this). CofC fans have differing opinions on whether or not 3rd seeded William & Mary is a favorable or unfavorable matchup. The Cougars experienced both sides of how the classic offense vs defense matchup can go. At William and Mary earlier in the year, CofC had the Tribe right where they wanted them and seemed destined to sneak out with a low scoring victory on the road before Marcus Thornton started taking (and making) and unconscious number of shots to lead a strong comeback and ultimate win. More recently in Charleston, CofC put together what will probably go down as their best game of the season. The defense put the pressure on Thornton and Rusthoven early and often but more importantly, the Cougars took what the soft W&M defense gave them and drained season highs in threes and shooting percentage en route to an 87-54 victory. 

I hope that game is crystallized in the players' heads because that's how they need to play throughout the tournament - balanced. You have to believe William & Mary is nervous about a rematch with CofC. Wojcik has preached all season that the regular season CAA run is just a set-up for the tournament; and the team has the defensive acumen, relative depth and rebounding dominance to stay in any game (also lose any game, as we've seen so often this year). The Tribe rely on three point offense and the unfamiliar shooting perspective that comes with playing in a brand new venue does not bode well for them.

 

If the Cougars are going to pull the upset, they will need two things to fall their way. First, the game needs to be called like a tournament contest and not like the bones-are-made-of-glass whistle fests of this past fall. CofC cannot afford to have All-CAA defensive ace Adjehi Baru riding the pine with the season on the line and Marcus Thornton driving uncontested to the basket.

 

The second thing is what we have preached all season: the scoring. More specifically, the outside shots need to fall. The sets Charleston sees on Saturday should not be much different than the defense they torched last time out. The Tribe players don't have the length or closeout speed to contest open looks so Nori, Anthony and Canyon need to drain them when they get the opportunity.

 

The Pick: The College

Resurgent Offense Not Enough as Cougs Fall to Delaware

Final Score: Delaware 89, College of Charleston 86

Top Performers:

Jarvis Threatt 13 pts (11-13 FT), 13 assts, 6 rebs

Canyon Barry 27 pts (5-7 3pt)

Disclaimer - I was unable to watch this game because of a combination of CAA TV's shoddy product and my own inconsistent internet. So I was forced to glean what I could from tweets and box scores. 

Positives: 

• The offense came back to life as the Cougars hit 13 of 26 three ball attempts and actually got to the line 22 times (hitting 17). The 13 three pointers was one shy of the season total set in the last home game against William & Mary.
• Canyon Barry reminded us that the future is bright for Rick Barry's youngest son. He put up a season-high 27 points coming off the bench and shot over 50% from the field, behind the arc and from the charity stripe.  Canyon's biggest issues right now are his ball handling and shooting percentages; if those continue to improve he'll become a hell of a player. 
• The Cougars held a narrow edge on the boards, 37-35
• David Wishon was able to give good minutes off the bench for a second straight game with Baru slightly hobbled by his knee issues. The Ginja Ninja had 6 points and 5 rebounds in just 15 minutes of play.
• The opening 3-pointer by Judson Hall is what senior night is all about. Last year, seldom used Bart Benton was made a starter and he responded with a basket that caused the crowd to erupt. The set play to get Judson a wide open three is a nice tip of the cap by Wojcik and the younger Hall responded by draining it to everyone's delight. I really like keeping up that tradition.

Negatives:

• As the offense took a step forward, the defense took a step back. Wojcik cannot be happy with his guys giving up 89 points - even if it Delaware is the league's best offense.
• Jarvis Threatt, who was suspended the first time these teams met, gave the Blue Hen offense a whole new look. He got to the line at will and had 13 assists on the afternoon. The CAA is a guard-oriented league and Threatt played like an all-league point guard yesterday against CofC's defense. 

Despite the Cougar's efforts, Delaware played like the superior team they are down the stretch. Don't forget, the top seed and automatic NIT bid were not guaranteed unless they beat CofC. Fortunately for the Cougs they only fell to the 6th seed and will face William & Mary (the team they blew out of the water three games ago) in the first round of the CAA Tournament in Baltimore. From there it's an uphill battle that will likely include another rematch with Delaware if the Cougars can advance. Look for full CAA Tournament previews this week. 

Last Home Game for Johnson, Thomas and the Brothers Hall

College of Charleston (14-16, 6-9)

University of Delaware (21-9, 13-2)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 2pm

Rather than stick to the typical preview style blog post formula, I'm switching things up before the final home game of the season. Revenge against the Delaware Blue Hens, after their outstanding comeback in Newark a few weeks ago, is the narrative going into the last regular season contest of the year - this game is about the four seniors. As tradition holds, all four senior members of the team will be honored throughout today's game and they each deserve our praises.

Judson Hall

The younger brother of star player and fellow senior Willis, Judson is a valuable member of the scout team and perhaps more importantly - a Raising Canes Killer. Willis has gotten the hype over the years but walk-ons like Judson sacrifice just as much time, energy and heart as they practice and travel with the team year after year. I hope this afternoon the fans at TD Arena recognize the other Hall's commitment to the program over the past four years and give him a raucous ovation.

Anthony Thomas

AT's college career was anything but typical. Growing up in The Dash (Winston-Salem for the uninitiated), Anthony signed on to play for former SoCon rival Appalachian State. After being used sparingly, AT took the road less traveled route to improving his game by transferring to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, which Jeff McCarragher will be quick to reiterate - is in the middle of nowhere. It was after his sophomore season that Doug Wojcik's newly minted Charleston coaching staff noticed Thomas and offered him a spot on the team for his two remaining years of eligibility. 

Anthony was given the unenviable task of replacing one of the most talented and versatile players of this century at CofC in recently graduated small forward Antwaine Wiggins. On top of that he was coming into a new situation, new school, new coaching staff, new teammates...and exceled right away. AT has been a starter for nearly every game while he's been at CofC and he is rock steady in his role as the team's lockdown defender and a jack-of-all-trades who can chip in rebounds, steals and blocks in any game. He's a prototypical small forward and has been such an asset for Charleston as they moved up a competitive level to the CAA. 

My favorite memory of AT was the revenge-fueled beat down he put on his former team - App State - in TD Arena last year. He didn't even downplay his desire to show up the Mountaineers in pregame interviews and when Wojcik went to his 3 man early and often for point production, AT delived by relentlessly going to the rim and carrying helpless ASU defenders with him. Beast mode.

Nori Johnson

A personal favorite of mine, Nori Johnson's journey is similar to AT's in it's ebbs and flows. Nori came to Charleston as a late signing recruit in the pretty lauded Bobby Cremins class of 2010. That was the class that included Trent Wiedeman, Jordan Scott and James Carlton - a class that was built to ultimately replace the production of Cremins stellar first recruiting class (Goudelock, Monroe, Simmons, Wiggins). Early in his career Nori was overlooked in favor of those other three - Wiedeman with his instant impact, Scott and Carlton with their tantalizing athleticism. Three years later and only Nori Johnson is still here to walk across the Cistern.

Wiedeman, Scott and Carlton moved on to smaller stages after Cremins stepped down, while Nori still proudly wears Charleston on his jersey and now starts at shooting guard. But the path from afterthought to starter was not a direct progression. In his sophomore season, it took Mark Byington stepping in as interim coach and injuries to freshman Anthony Stitt for Nori to get an opportunity. His impact as a pure shooting outside sniper immediately proved to be just what the Cougs needed with Goudelock graduated. Once given the opportunity Nori proved he deserved the playing time.

Once Wojcik came in, Nori had the option to transfer. He was recruited to play in the three-point dependent Cremins system, not the defense-fueled Wojcik style. At first the decision looked to backfire immensely: Nori's minutes steadily dropped from the time Wojcik came in - reaching a lowpoint as the senior was relegated to DNP-Coach's Decision games all throughout the fall semester of this season. Freshman Canyon Barry was the team's fan crush starter on the wing but the Cougars still desperately needed three point shooting. It was a game against rival Citadel that Nori was given his opportunity - and he jumped headfirst into it by sinking 4 of 7 three pointers in his first significant action of the season.

It wasn't until the break between out-of-conference and CAA play that we learned why Nori had been used so sparingly when his abilities were so clear. Wojcik is a no nonsense coach both on and off the court. He demands discipline not just running the plays but when hitting the books as well - a departure from the slack that Cremins gave his guys. Nori had been struggling academically and was falling close to being a rare player to not graduate in Wojik's head coaching career. For that reason Nori had been glued to the bench, not until his mind and report card were straight could Coach reward him with playing time, senior or not.

It says a whole lot about Nori's character to know how he got to where he is now as the scorer on an offense starved team. He had every reason to be pissed at Wojcik, himself and his circumstances but he pushed through it all. You can see how much he has matured since he was lumped in with some of the clowns he entered Charleston with - you hear it in his interviews and you see it in the relationship he's developed with Coach Wojcik. Nori is very aware of how much better of a place he's in now - mentally and physically. It's paid off for the senior with a staring role on the team and a graduation date looming in May. 

Favorite memory: This dunk against Georgia Southern two years ago. The out-of-nowhere nature of it, the viciousness, the scream - so badass. 

Willis Hall

What can you say about Willis Hall that hasn't already been said by his coaches, his teammates, the school president and the NCAA? A star player with a walk-on's work ethic. A coach's favorite type of player. Captain and natural leader. Steph Curry record-breaker. Humanitarian and global ambassador for the College of Charleston. National Player of the Week. Graduate student. Workhorse. 

Willis Hall is the type of player and person I want associated with the College of Charleston for years to come. He's that rare type of collegiate player who absolutely relishes every minute of time at this school. He seems to have perspective on his career despite having not finished it - probably from the year he was forced to sit out after tearing his ACL- and leaves every game completely drained, having played it like it was his last. 

Willis came to CofC waaaay back in 2009 (hard to believe right?) and has seemingly been here for what feels more like a decade rather than half of that. He's the last remaining player who played on the team that defeated UNC inside Carolina First Arena in January of 2010. Back then Willis Hall was a nice complimentary piece as a freshman big man who could hustle and rebound coming off the bench. He wasn't the tallest or most athletic player in any game but he scrapped and clawed on every possession to give the Cougars the best shot at winning. 

As a sophomore Willis was happy to give the spotlight to the likes of Andrew Goudelock, Donovan Monroe and even freshman Trent Wiedeman. In year two it looked like we could all grasp the type of player Willis would be - a fan favorite for his effort, a killer backup or serviceable fill-in starter who was talented but ultimately limited by his physical tangibles. A torn ACL halfway through his college career had Willis miss an entire season to medical redshirting and ensured he would be handcuffed to Wiedeman for the remainder of his career.

In Wojcik's first season, Willis (in his true senior year) was asked to backup the two towers of Baru and Wiedeman. It didn't take long for the oft-injured Wiedeman to start missing time with injuries and Hall stepped in and became a perfect compliment next to Adjehi. His ability to space the floor with his three point shooting reduced some of the redundancy created by having Trent and Adjehi clogging the paint together and resulted in a Top 25 road win over Baylor and a strong final run through the SoCon.

Now a fifth year season coming into the fall, Willis - the grizzled and battle tested veteran, welcomed the opportunity to take on new CAA travel and opponent challenges in his final season. He has responded by putting together as solid a season as any big man in CofC history. He's the unquestioned leader and heart of the Cougars. He put up jaw dropping rebounding and point totals against Davidson and Howard. He's also delivered victories for the Cougars in two surefire would-be losses with buzzer beaters against UNC Charlotte and Drexel inside TD Arena.

Willis Hall is the one guy that the Cougars, players and fans alike, are going to miss most next year. Not just from a stats perspective but from everything else he brings to the table as well. He's a model student-athlete and someone who is universally respected and admired. Soak in everything that comes your way today Willis, you deserve it all.

Favorite memory: freshman Willis Hall clinches CofC's biggest win of the 21st century by snagging a game-snagging rebound and getting fouled.  Let the chills flow through your body. 

Cougars Flip the Script: Just Kidding, They Lost Again

Final Score: Drexel 56, College of Charleston 45

Top Performers:

Frantz Massenat 24 pts (11-12 FT), 4 assts, 3 rebs

Theo Johnson 8 pts, 3 rebs, 2 blks

Last night was the last regular season conference road game for the Cougars. The last time the Cougars defeated a CAA team on the road was back on January 13th - their first conference road game. The game against Drexel followed the exact same script we have seen in nearly every other conference road game save for that one victory over Northeastern: the Cougs could not muster enough offense in the second half (a measly 17 points in the period) and gave away a halftime lead via untimely misses, lack of made free throws and turnovers. 

The scoring binge against the Tribe from a few weeks back is like a distant memory now, looking more like an anomaly of an up-and-down season rather than an optimistic turning point. The offense just can't routinely put up enough points to defeat opponents no matter how stingy Wojcik's defense and rebounding squad is. No one in maroon reached double figures. If I gave you Theo Johnson's stat line from last night you would welcome the nice bench performance from the seldom used wing player. But when I list Theo as the Cougar's top performer - it only drives home how putrid (searching for synonyms this late in the season) the CofC offense is. 

Frantz Massenat scored half as many points as the entire Cougar team did. He also attempted more free throws by himself than everyone who entered the game for Charleston (12 to 8). Like most opponents this year, the Dragons were held to a season low in point production for the first half. And like most opponents (especially those playing in their own gym) they came out with a reckless abandon in the second half, chasing down loose balls, driving to the rim and punching CofC in the mouth. The Cougars predictably fell apart. The minute the other team does something outside the scouting report is the minute all hope is lost for a Cougar win. 

It's a shame the Cougars dropped to 1 and 7 in CAA road games. Fortunately they avoid the play-in game with Hofstra's loss, but the Cougars still need to beat league leader Delaware in the finale to grab the 5th seed (4th is out of the question) and go into the Baltimore tournament with any semblance of momentum. It's also a shame that solid contributions from Wishon and Theo Johnson will go unnoticed. Their numbers were as minimal as the rest of the team, but the bench duo seems to have flipped a switch with bench partner Joe Chealey out. 

Wishon was able to bully his way to points by not over-thinking and using his immense size advantage on offense. He also made a few smart passes to cutting teammates in the paint - a trait that gives him value in Wojcik's inside-out system. The man on the receiving end of those passes was Theo Johnson: the only CofC player who does not seem averse to attacking the basket with or without the ball. Theo attempted half the teams eight free throw attempts and converted on 100% of them. He also brought his usual defense and had a couple blocks that seem way easier for him than any other player on the floor. 

The Cougars are a different team inside TD Arena and I really want them to send home the hardworking starting trio of Hall, AT and Nori with a revenge victory against Delaware on senior night. Like we've said since the Cougars dropped below .500 in league play, all that matters is the CAA Tournament in Baltimore with this being a one-bid league. The team is still outstanding at the areas of the game you need to win three games in three days. They play defense well enough to stay in every game, they out rebound most opponents and they have pretty good depth - especially if Chealey is back in time. 

If we beat Delaware, nab the 5th seed and put up enough points to convince me a trip to Baltimore is not a waste of time and money I'll hold onto that string of hope we'll be cutting down the nets in March. 

Cougars Attempt to Take Hot Shooting on the Road

UNC Wilmington (8-21, 2-12)

College of Charleston (14-14, 6-7)

Trask Coliseum, Wilmington, NC

Tipoff at 7pm on MyTV Charleston or $4.95 stream here

Few, scratch that - no one, predicted CofC's offensive explosion against William & Mary after the two stinkers they had put up in previous games. Now we get to see if a team capable of putting together both sides of the winning formula was merely a flash in the pan or a sign of good things to come. That test comes against UNCW, the last-place CAA team and potential coastal rival. It's Homecoming for the Seahawks so they won't go without a fight. In order to cement themselves as the 4th seed in Baltimore the Cougars need to take care of business on the road against the Dub.

What happened last time these teams met
Nori Johnson scored 23 points and the Cougars overcame turnovers, missed dunks and a sloppy first half of play to pull away from the Seahawks 75-70 inside TD Arena. The Seahawks remained winless in the conference after that loss while the Cougars improved to 3-2 in the CAA. Leading the way for Wilmington was guard Chris Dixon, who would drive the lane and get a tough basket every time the Cougars started to pull away. He finished with 21 points in defeat.

Since then
The Dub finally picked up their first league win (and a second) in consecutive games on February 10th and 13th against Towson (!) and Northeastern respectively. Coach Buzz Peterson has done it with strong bench production - more on that below - and a stretch of good play during a tough 4-games-in-8-days schedule period. Junior big man Ced Williams continues to be the teams best player, even if he didn't show it against Charleston, leading the 'Hawks in points and rebounds.

X-Factor
Wilmington's "line changes". Olympic fever has clearly struck a chord with Buzz Peterson because over the last four games or so he has installed a hockey-style substitution pattern. I would not have believed it unless I saw it live in the JMU-UNCW game a few days ago when Peterson chose to switch out all five starters for a fresh five man unit of subs in the first half. Unorthodox yes, but the strategy has helped Wilmington play their best stretch of basketball all season. As the Dub Hub mentioned in their preview of today's game, each "line" has their own strengths. The starters include the talented front court duo of Williams and Shane Reybold who can provide the offense opposite senior guards Dixon and Milson. The second unit does not have the same talent level obviously but they are an athletic bunch that can throw enough jabs at the opponent until a refreshed starting group enters back into the game.

The Cougars have yet to face a team displaying such a tendency and it doesn't help that they will be without 6th man Joe Chealey. It's unfair to expect the Cougars to shoot as well as they did against W&M but the shots need to fall for the starters because after Canyon Barry there are not many scoring options beyond the tightened rotation.

Cougar Offense Comes Alive in 87-54 Rout of Tribe

Final Score: College of Charleston 87, William & Mary 54
Top Performers:
Willis Hall 21 pts, 9 rebs, 3 assts, 2 blks
Tim Rusthoven 13 pts, 3 rebs

Just when I thought the offense couldn't get any more putrid, they go and do something like this....and totally redeem themselves!! After putting up point totals of 47 and 44 against Drexel and Northeastern respectively, CofC almost got to those numbers combined by hanging up a cool, Raising Cane's finger-licking delicious 87 on the William & Mary Tribe. Better yet, the defense didn't skip a beat. The Cougs held Marcus Thornton to 9 points on 3-12 shooting and the vaunted Tribe offense only amassed 54 points inside TD Arena.

Looking as smooth and lethal offensively as they have all year (not overly rigid and methodical), the Cougars shot season highs all across the board. 64% from the field, 63.6% from behind the arc (14 of 22), 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Wojcik chose not to milk the clock at any point, the guys were putting up shots early and often and best of all, they weren't rimming out. Willis, Nori and Canyon were all finally hitting the open looks that have been there all year and the confidence showed. Even Anthony Thomas stroked a three.

It accounted to the highest scoring total of the year for Charleston - 2 points shy of the 89 they put up against Furman on November 23rd. The win could not have come at a better time from a morale perspective. Not only were the Cougars' tournament seed possibilities dwindling after the NU loss, but the team got some bad news earlier in the day. Joe Chealey, who had been nursing soreness in his knees the past few weeks, had a minor procedure that had him in crutches for this game and ruled out indefinitely. He hopes to be back by the CAA Tournament but the blow is a big one for a team that has struggled with turnovers and now has just one point guard in Anthony Stitt. In Chealey's place, Wojcik had Canyon play extended minutes running the show. Barry had 2 turnovers but he also had 17 points, 5 assits and 4 rebounds off the bench.

We've lamented often about what this team would be capable of if they could combine the nights when their offense is showing out (like it did against Citadel, Davidson, Hofstra) and when the defense is in lockdown mode. Tonight was perhaps the closest to a perfect combination we've seen all year. Not only were the shots not falling for the Tribe and splashing for the Cougs, but CofC also shut the door on the boards 36 to 18.

Great win for Charleston to stop what could have been a late season free fall (reflective of the microcosm of most games, no?). The 4th seed is still up for grabs in this wild conference and the chances of falling to the un-winnable 8-9 play-in game is becoming a smaller threat <knock on wood>.

Lack of Offense Dooms "Deflated" Cougars Yet Again

Final Score: Northeastern 60, College of Charleston 44
Top Performers:
Scott Eatherton 22 pts (3-3 3pt), 10 rebounds
Joe Chealey 11 pts (4-5 FT), 2 blks, 18 mins


Just when it seemed safe to say the Cougars were turning a corner, they go and do something like this. I guess we should have seen it coming. After all, they did only put up 47 points in a win over Drexel on Thursday. If you thought that offensive display was troubling, don't bother looking at the box score from yesterday; which somehow makes the Cougars' shooting woes throughout this game look better than they actually were.

Right out of the gates Northeastern jumped on Charleston inside TD Arena. The Huskies opened the game on a 13-2 run as their bench hooted and hollered every time Eatherton swished an unguarded three pointer. Conversely, the Cougars missed a number of open looks within 4 feet of the basket. Offensive putbacks, Adjehi Baru (who missed his first 7 shots) and Willis Hall jumpers all clanged off the iron or never touched anything.

And to be honest the Cougars never really got back on track after that rough start. The defense and rebounding are never the problem - it's the reason the Cougars were able to trim the lead to two possessions on separate occasions and it's the team's only option for winning with how unproductive they can be offensively. But Wojcik highlighted an alarming and depressing issue in the postgame conference. He said that the missed shots early on led to a deflated attitude the rest of the game. It's one thing to miss shots, it happens to everyone, but most of the Cougars looked lethargic on the court.

Despite falling behind by double digits multiple times, CofC only attempted 10 free throws. That shows a lack of aggression on the part of the Cougs and offers a hint as to why they could only muster 44 points. The looks CofC normally gets in games were there last night - Baru facing one-on-one defense, Stitt in the corner for a three etc but the shots were not falling. Once that became evident there was no way to produce easy baskets. No one rolling to the rim or driving the lane and the bigs weren't hitting shots from point blank range.

Wojcik experimented with a myriad of different lineups but the lack of scorers on this team outweighs any defensive depth the team might have. Install a three guard lineup and you lose your offensive rebounding opportunities - just fewer possessions to put the ball in the basket. You can try switching out Baru and Hall but Wishon is not going to put up points; in 4 minutes of play he had his shot blocked and turned the ball over. The guards are all streaky shooters.

When these teams played in January, Anthony Thomas was the star. Last night he posted a big fat goose egg in points (he took one attempt from the field) and had a single rebound. Adjehi was 3 of 10 from the floor. Willis was short on almost everything, chucking up two air balls and going 4-12 from the field (0-4 from three).

If you're looking for a positive - Joe Chealey and Canyon Barry, two freshmen coming off the bench, were responsible for 8 of the 10 free throw attempts, CofC's only double digit scoring totals and 21 of the team's 44 points. Aside from Willis, who always plays his ass off every night, the freshmen (who were joined by their classmates to close out the game) were the only ones who didn't seem to hang their heads.

It was that disheartened mentality that allowed the Huskies to beat the Cougars so decisively in the second half. Eatherton got uncontested looks outside the paint and Reggie Spencer completed a series of three-point plays as the Cougars just hacked at him as he went to the basket. A brief late game run by the home team was both a welcome sight and an insulting development. For a few short minutes the guys actually looked desperate and competitive - how they should have been playing from the opening minutes - but it was too little too late. Aside from being a bad loss in itself, this game just reinforces our biggest fears about this year's team.

Cougars Look for Second Straight W Against Sliding Northeastern

College of Charleston (13-13, 5-6)

Northeastern (8-18, 5-7)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 7pm on CSS

After a much-needed victory over Drexel on Thursday, the Cougars will look to pick up a second straight win during their three game home stand. Northeastern comes to town reeling; they've lost four of their last five and thanks to a postponed game in Wilmington they have one less day of prep for Charleston. You may remember Scott Eatherton from the matchup in Boston a month ago. One of the nation's leading double-double machines, Eatherton is an All-CAA big man averaging 16 and 10 per game. This is an important game in helping to separate the crowded middle seeds of the CAA with the postseason looming. Like the Cougars, NU isn't a scoring machine so we may see another final score in the 40's - you were warned.

What happened last time these teams met

The Cougars picked up their first (and only) CAA road win of the season in historic Matthews Arena. Eatherton quickly extended his double-double streak by schooling Adjehi in the first half and nearly accomplishing the feat in the first 20 minutes alone. Some halftime adjustments saw Adehi staying grounded defending Eatherton and the Husky offense faltered. Anthony Thomas was the star of the game - packing the stat sheet with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. His length and defensive ability in that game was reflective of the whole team - as the Cougars forced 9 steals and had 9 blocks to disrupt Northeastern in their home building. Charleston was victorious, 58-49.

Since then

Just like half this conference, both teams are fighting to separate themselves from the tightly contested middle of the conference and snag a 4 seed behind Delaware, Towson and William & Mary. Shortly after the Charleston loss, Northeastern was able to knock off Towson in Maryland (still the only team to do so this year) and take Delaware to the wire. However, they also have blowout losses to the Blue Hens in a rematch, a 12-point pounding by the Tribe and most recently a loss to The Dub in which the Huskies only amassed 45 points. If you regularly read this blog you know the story behind CofC's string of close losses prior to the Drexel game two days ago.

X-Factor

Demetrius Pollard is a guy to look out for in this game. He has the three main characteristics of a CofC Cougar-killer. 1) he's undersized at just 6'2. 2) He did not have a good game the last time these teams played (just 5 points and 4 turnovers in 32 minutes) and finally 3) he's capable of getting hot from outside the arc. He averages 9 points per contest but he also has games this season where he has lit it up from three for 27, 25 and 19 points(twice). Eatherton and David Walker are the headliners and the Cougars have a pretty good scouting report on them. In a low scoring game like this, a hot streak from either team can make a difference and that is why Pollard is an x-factor.

Willis Hall Delivers 2nd Game Winner of the Season as CofC Edges Drexel

Final Score: College of Charleston 47, Drexel University 46

Top Performers:

Willis Hall 9 pts, 11 rebs, go-ahead jumper with 3.8 seconds remaining
Frantz Massenat 16 pts, 5 rebs, 2 stls

Please check with your doctor to see if your heart is healthy enough to use CofC basketball. Side effects include shortness of breath, loss of hair, disenchantment with collegiate basketball and mood swings.

In another ugly, low-scoring affair it seemed as if the Cougars were in for another close loss. The script was the same as it had been in four of the last five games. In the final minutes the whole gang showed up for The College: turnovers, careless fouls, missed free throws. But a funny thing happened that swung the narrative of the entire evening. Down one with under 20 seconds to go, Anthony Stitt had his potential three blocked by Tavon Allen and the ball fell to Willis Hall - who turned and shot a rainbow jumper over his defender that swished through the basket with 3.8 seconds to go.

But the game was not over yet. And there was still plenty of time for Charleston to find a way to lose like they did against Delaware and Towson. The ball ended up in the hands of Drexel's best player - Chris Fouch - who dribbled untouched the length of the court and blew a lay-up after the C of Seas had parted. A miss that had Head Coach Bruiser Flint, already given a technical at the end of the first half, up in arms and bombastically calling for a goaltend or foul as his assistants restrained him.

It was a win the Cougars desperately, desperately needed to have fall their way. The mental weight of so many close losses takes it's toll on the players and the pressure to win must've been great on Wojcik. In the end it took two mini miracles but the Cougars picked up a W.

Which is even more relieving given that losing on your home floor in a game in which both teams score in the 40's would've really had the townspeople of Charleston reaching for the torches and pitchforks. Both teams played good to great defensively but there was a lid on the basket all night. The boxscore is hard to look at but a few things stand out - 0 for 9 from behind the arc for Drexel, 0 for 7 at the free throw line for Adjehi Baru. Neither team shot above 33% from the field and both hovered around 50% from the charity stripe.

The offense for Drexel was made up of getting out in transition, passing the ball ahead on outlets after long defensive rebounds, and attacking Canyon Barry in the half court. Allen was the main offender, mostly in the second half as he was able to take advantage of Charleston's porous north-to-south defense.

CofC's points came by committee as well. Even as the team's sole double-digit scorer, Barry got his points mostly at the line. Then there were big baskets down the stretch by Stitt (a three) and Hall (an old-fashioned three point play and the game winner).

But I must reiterate a point I made at the conclusion of the game. It's way better to win having only scored 47 than to hold your opponent to 46 points and not be able to close the door on them at home. No matter how offensively averse or rage-inducing the Cougars were in this game, they took a big step in getting the monkey off their back by picking up a much-needed W. That should help us all sleep at night and have a Happy Valentines day. #KKandWH4Ever

CofC Begins Homestand with Drexel

College of Charleston (12-13, 4-6)

Drexel University (13-10, 5-5)

TD Arena

Tipoff at 7pm on NBC Sports Network

The Cougars need a win bad. After an epic collapse against Delaware and a less epic, but equally painful, inability to close out Towson the Cougars are falling precipitously lower in the CAA standings with just 6 games to go. Like 77% of this conference, Drexel is also in the quagmire that is the middle of the Colonial standings. Thanks to a scheduling quirk the Cougars are facing the Dragons for the first time this season in mid February. It's a blackout (snow-out?) down in Charleston and Wojcik and the gang need to get back on the horse during a 3 game home stand. Will it come tonight on national TV? Let's take a look at Drexel.

Are the Drexel Dragons any good?

Like CofC, the Dragons are having trouble living up to their preseason expectations. Many anticipated Towson, Drexel and Charleston to be battling for CAA supremacy but it has been hard going for all three. At 5-5 in conference the Dragons are about even with the Cougs. Bruiser Flint's squad is led by a trio of seniors - backcourt mates Chris Fouch and Frantz Massenat along with big man Dartay Ruffin. Fouch and Massenat drive the offense, each averaging over 17 points per game, while Ruffin leads the team in rebounding. For the most part the Dragons have lost to the CAA's premier teams (Towson twice, W&M, Delaware) and have handled the likes of UNCW, Hofstra and JMU. They have a pretty strict rotation of about seven guys.

What do they do well?

Drexel is one of the top teams in the nation in not turning the ball over. In fact they are the best team in the country in this department with barely 8 per contest. The Cougars aren't one to force turnovers anyway but if they are going to win this game they can't bank on getting any additional free possessions from their opponent. With two stud guards in Fouch and Massenat, the Dragons put a lot of pressure on a defense (Oh god I'm turning into Wojcik). But seriously, we all know containing guards from the perimeter and into the paint has been a major struggle all year. It's why Baru has fouled out in so many conference games and why the free throw disparity almost never favors the Cougars (more on this later). But sag off either one and they can hit a jumper (Mike Burwell smiles and nods). 

What do they struggle with?

Like many guard-centric teams in the CAA and elsewhere, Drexel can occasionally fall victim to bad shots and inefficient offense. They also have a bad habit of fouling, especially from their forwards. As the blog Dragons Speak has dubbed it, this game could be Foulapalooza 2014. I would not be surprised to see Baru and Wishon hack mindlessly at Drexel's penetrators and I can totally see the Drexel bigs having to bump Baru and Willis Hall in the paint in order to contain the Cougar's interior. Did I mention both teams rank at the bottom of the league's free throw shooting percentages? This game could get ugly so I hope the tough lessons learned from being unable to close out Delaware and Towson has the guys shooting free throws inside TD Arena even after the lights have been turned out.

X-Factor

Defenders playing offense and shooters playing defense. If Drexel had a springy and athletic small forward who likes to shoot threes, or a heady big man to throw it down low to, I would feel better about CofC's chances. Anthony Thomas can shut down opposing wings (except Davon Usher apparently) and the Baru/Wishon combo is a stout 1-2 defensive punch. Unfortunately, Stitt and Johnson will be tasked with containing Drexel's backcourt and Baru/Hall need to play like All-CAA selections going up against the foul-prone Dragons. Nori has been doing a remarkably solid job guarding opposing 2's since he began starting games but Stitt and Chealey really need to turn up the pressure when they get screened. Conversely, Baru needs to stay on the court and be able to finish the looks he will get inside and especially at the line.

Matchup to watch for

Nori Johnson versus Chris Fouch. Two talented shooting guards, both capable of pouring on the points - but in different ways. Nori is a shooter while Fouch is the scorer. Both have the green light and one of them having a better-than-average game could be the difference in a dead even game. They will also likely be defending each other just to add to the entertainment factor.