Men’s Basketball Faces Stony Brook in CAA Title Game – College of Charleston Athletics
Washington, D.C. – Cougars Eye Second Straight CAA Championship
The top-seeded College of Charleston men’s basketball team is gearing up to face No. 7 Stony Brook in the title game of the 2024 Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The Cougars are on a mission to secure their second consecutive league title and punch their ticket to March Madness. A victory would make them the first team to achieve back-to-back CAA championships since UNCW in 2016 and 2017.
Thrilling Semifinal Victory Sets the Stage
Charleston secured their spot in the championship game with a nail-biting 61-56 win over Towson in the semifinals. Despite trailing by as much as seven points, the Cougars staged a remarkable comeback, finishing the game on a 13-1 run to overcome the Tigers. Key players stepped up in critical moments, with Reyne Smith sinking a floater at the buzzer to give Charleston a halftime lead, CJ Fulton hitting a crucial three-pointer to trim the Tiger lead to three with two minutes remaining, and Ante Brzovic delivering a crucial block and dunk in the final minute of play.
Stony Brook Awaits After Impressive Run
Stony Brook punched their ticket to the championship game with a hard-fought 63-59 victory over Long Island rival No. 2 Hofstra. The Seawolves have shown resilience throughout the tournament, playing four games in four days, including a 75-65 win over No. 10 Northeastern and a thrilling double-overtime 91-88 victory over No. 2 Drexel in the quarterfinals.
Rematch of Regular Season Clash
The Cougars and Seawolves met earlier in the season, with Charleston prevailing 93-87 on January 6 in Stony Brook. In that matchup, Smith led the charge for Charleston with 20 points, followed by Kobe Rodgers with 19, Brzovic with 18, Bryce Butler with 14, and Fulton with 13. Charleston’s bench outscored Stony Brook 33-14, shooting over 50% from the field and making 13 three-pointers. The game featured 17 lead changes and seven ties, setting the stage for an exciting rematch in the championship game.
Cougars Riding 11-Game Winning Streak
Pat Kelsey’s squad enters the title tilt on an impressive 11-game winning streak, the second longest in the country behind James Madison. Charleston currently ranks ninth in the nation in bench points per game (30.61), third in three-point attempts per game (30.6), and ninth in total threes per game (10.5). Fulton continues to lead the nation in assist/turnover ratio (4.42), adding another dimension to the Cougars’ formidable lineup.
Championship Showdown Details
Tonight’s championship showdown is set for 7:00 p.m. on CBS Sports Network, with Dave Ryan and Pete Gillen providing commentary on the action. Cougar fans can also tune in to the Voice of the Cougars Everett German on the Varsity App to catch every thrilling moment of the game.