Charleston Cougars Secure Outright Regular Season Title

Charleston Cougars Secure Outright Regular Season Title

Byline: College of Charleston Athletics

Charleston, South Carolina – March 1, 2024

The College of Charleston men’s basketball team clinched the outright CAA regular season title with a dominant 96-73 victory over Campbell on Thursday night at TD Arena. The win not only solidified the Cougars’ first outright regular season championship in 21 years but also marked their first conference title since 2003.

Game Recap

The Cougars set the tone early in the game when Frankie Policelli drained a three-pointer just 12 seconds after tip-off. Charleston continued their hot shooting from beyond the arc, hitting four triples in the opening minutes to establish an 18-7 lead. Reyne Smith and Policelli led the charge with consecutive threes during an 8-0 run.

Despite a brief surge from Campbell, where they cut the deficit to three points, Charleston responded emphatically. Smith caught fire from long range, connecting on three consecutive triples to extend the Cougar’s lead to 46-31. The first half ended with Charleston holding a commanding 55-33 advantage after a relentless 21-2 run.

Charleston carried their offensive momentum into the second half, building a massive 72-41 lead. While Campbell tried to mount a comeback with a 9-0 run, Smith’s record-breaking tenth three-pointer of the night sealed the victory for the Cougars, cementing a new school record for most threes in a single game.

Key Performances

Reyne Smith was the standout performer for Charleston, shattering his own program record by draining 10 three-pointers en route to a career-high 32 points. Smith’s sharpshooting prowess also propelled him to fifth place for most single-season three-pointers in program history. Additionally, Smith became the only player in CAA history to hit nine or more threes in multiple games.

Ante Brzovic contributed 14 points and six rebounds, while Ben Burnham and Bryce Butler added 12 points each. James Scott rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.

Game Notes

Charleston’s 55 first-half points marked their highest scoring output in an opening half this season. The 23-point margin of victory over Campbell was the largest against a Division I opponent this season. The team’s 15 made three-pointers represented the second-best performance from beyond the arc this year.

The Cougars dished out a season-high 26 assists, with Kobe Rodgers leading the way with a career-best seven assists.

Looking Ahead

With a regular season record of 23-7 and a 14-3 mark in conference play, Charleston will close out their regular season campaign against Hofstra on Saturday afternoon at TD Arena. The game, set for 2:00 p.m., will also serve as Senior Day for Bryce Butler and Frankie Policelli.

As the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CAA Championship, the Cougars will aim to carry their momentum from the regular season into the postseason with hopes of securing a conference tournament title.


Author: HERE Charleston

HERE Charleston

Share
Published by
HERE Charleston

Recent Posts

Texas Approves Bible-Infused Curriculum for Elementary Schools, Sparking Controversy Over Religion in Education

AUSTIN, Texas - Bible Lessons on the Table for Elementary Schools The Texas State Board…

58 minutes ago

Dnipro Faces Unprecedented Military Escalation as Tensions Surge in Ukraine-Russia Conflict

Dnipro Sees Unprecedented Escalation in War In a week that has turned the tables in…

1 hour ago

San Francisco Faces Severe Flooding as Torrential Rains Cause Chaos and Disruption

San Francisco Drenched: Intense Rain Floods Roads and Homes San Francisco woke up to a…

1 hour ago

Moorhead’s Skyline Set to Transform with New Development

Moorhead's Skyline Set to Transform with New Development Moorhead, the city known for its welcoming…

15 hours ago

Big News for Charleston: Major Contract Awarded for Wharf Expansion

Big News for Charleston: Major Contract Awarded for Wharf Expansion Charleston, known for its rich…

15 hours ago

Exciting Developments in Raleigh: New City Hall Construction Takes Shape!

Exciting Developments in Raleigh: New City Hall Construction Takes Shape! Raleigh, the vibrant capital of…

15 hours ago