5 things to know about Auburn’s first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament
By Chris Wright
Published:
Auburn, which shared the SEC regular season championship, is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.
The Tigers are seeded No. 4 in the Midwest Region and will face No. 13 Charleston in the opening round.
Here are 5 things to know about the Cougars.
How College of Charleston got here
CofC dominated the Colonial Athletic Association, start to finish.
They shared the regular season title and outlasted Northeastern in overtime in the CAA Championship Game to lock down the automatic bid.
https://twitter.com/CofCBasketball/status/971214669917687809
NCAA Tournament history
The Cougars are 1-4 and haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1999. In 1997, the No. 12 Cougars upset No. 5 Maryland in the opening round.
Team strength
It’s their backcourt.
Grant Riller and Joe Chealey rank first and second in scoring. Both are averaging more than 18 points per game. Chealey, a senior, had 32 in the CAA Championship Game.
Unlike most mid-major guards, neither is overly reliant on the 3-pointer, either. Chealey led the Cougars with 62 3-pointers this season. Riller added 54.
Must stop: Grant Riller
Along those same lines, Charleston goes as the backcourt goes. Jarrell Brantley, a 6-7 forward, averages 17 points per game, but he’s a complementary piece to the guard tandem.
Did you know?
In 2014-15, Charleston finished 9-24 in Earl Grant’s first season. They improved to 17-14 the following year and have won at least 25 games each of the past two seasons.
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
