Bucs to Open Big South Play at Coastal Carolina

CHARLESTON, S.C.  - The CSU men's basketball team will kick off Big South Conference play when they take on the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Kimbel Arena in Conway, S.C.   The Bucs enter the game 4-4 on the season after a 120-43 win over Toccoa Falls on Tuesday. 

Fans can follow the game through Coastal Carolina's web site (www.goccusports.com ) by clicking on the following links:

Gametracker   |   Chanticleer Sports Network (live stream)  | CSU at CCU Game Notes

Series History
Charleston Southern and Coastal Carolina meet for the 58th time, with CSU leading, 33-24. It is the Buccaneers’ second-longest continuous rivalry, as the teams have faced each other every season since first meeting Dec. 6,1984, a 71-69 win by the home-standing Buccaneers. The series has been closely-contested lately, as 17 out of the last 19 meetings have been decided by 10 or fewer points. Over that same time frame, the games have been decided by an average of less than six points. In 2009-10, Coastal Carolina defeated the Buccaneers twice, including a 47-37 Chanticleers win Feb. 20 in Conway the last time the teams met. It marked the fewest combined points in a CSU-Coastal men’s basketball game. CSU’s last win over Coastal came Feb. 26, 2009, a game in which CSU freshman Jo’el Lamb led all scorers with 17 points and added career highs of 12 rebounds, three steals and four blocks. The Buccaneers have had one player post a double-double in each of the past five meetings against Coastal Carolina, including two double-doubles apiece by Kelvin Martin and Omar Carter and one by Jo’el Lamb. The two teams have gone to overtime against each other five times, with CSU winning three of those contests, including the longest game in program history, a 98-93 3OT win Jan. 30, 1999 in Conway.

 At a Glance ...
• Series Record: CSU leads 33-24*
• *Coastal Carolina vacated wins during the 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons due to ineligible players.
• Last five seasons: Coastal Carolina leads 7-4
• First Meeting: CSU 71, CCU 69 (Dec. 6, 1984 in Charleston, S.C.)
• Current winning streak: Two wins by the Chanticleers
• 2009-10 series: CSU 37, CCU 47 (Jan. 31, 2009), CSU 56, CCU 64 (Feb, 23, 2010)
• Last CSU win: January 26, 2009 CSU wins 63-59 (Charleston, S.C.)
• Last CSU win at Conway: January 31, 1999 CSU wins 71-69
• Most CSU points: CSU wins 98-93 on January 30, 1999 at Conway, S.C.
• Most CCU points: CSU wins 98-93 on January 30, 1999 at Conway, S.C.
• Greatest margin of victory by CSU: 20 points (87-67 on 2/25/99 and 91-71 on 2/8/89)
• Greatest margin of defeat for CSU: 16 points (69-53 on 2/28/04 and 86-70 on 1/14/91)
• Smallest margin of victory by CSU: 1 point (65-64 on 1/3/08, 88-87 (OT) on 2/24/94 and 71-70 on 3/3/86)
• Overtime games: CSU leads 3-2
• Longest game: CSU wins 98-93 (3OT) on Jan. 30, 1999.

CSU in Conference Openers
Historically, the Buccaneers have not had success in the first game of the conference season as they have gone 9-16 in Big South openers since 1986 when the BSC became a full-fledged championship league. The Buccaneers and the Chanticleers have faced off three previous times to open league play with with Coastal claiming all three games. CSU has twice before kicked off the season in Conway (both losses) in 1998 and 2007. Under Barclay Radebaugh, the Bucs are 2-3 in BSC openers, falling to the Chanticleers in 2007 by a score of 54-66.

 Buccaneer Bits:
• CSU is 9-16 all-time in conference season openers
• The Bucs are 4-5 at home in BSC openers
• The Bucs are 5-11 on the road at BSC openers
• Coach Radebuagh is 2-3 in Big South openers
• Coach Radebuagh’s first ever conference win was in the 2006 BSC opener where the Bucs defeated VMI 76-73on January 5 of that season.
• Senior guard Jamarco Warren’s 29 points vs High Point in 2008 is the most by a CSU player in a BSC league-opener.
• Warren and teammate Chris Moore combined for a program-record eight 3-pointers in the 2007-08 league opener vs. VMI (Jan. 12, 2008). The Bucs lost in overtime 93-91.
• Warren had led the team in scoring in the past two conference openers with 29 points in 2008-09 vs. High Point and 17 in 2009-10 vs. Liberty.
• No CSU player has ever lead the team in scoring in three conference openers.
• CSU is undefeated in conference openers against Augusta (2-0) and Davidson (1-0)
• The Bucs are tied in league openers vs. Liberty (1-1), High Point (1-1) and VMI (1-1).
• They are winless against Coastal Carolina (0-3), Radford (0-5) and Campbell (0-1) in BSC kickoff games.
• They trail Asheville 3-4 in conference openers

About the Chanticleers
The Chanticleers were picked to win the Big South in 2010-11 after claiming the regular season title in 2009-10. They are led by Desmon Holloway, who is averaging 18.1 ppg with Kierre Greenwood putting up 11.5 ppg and Big South Preseason All-Conference selection Chad Gray adding in 11.1. Holloway is also leading the team in rebounding with 6.8 rpg. At 6-2, their losses have come at the hands of Georgetown (80-61) and the College of Charleston (83-67).

Hittin’ the (Record) Books
• Tuesday’s win over Toccoa Falls moved head Coach Barclay Radebaugh into 4th place on the all-time wins list at CSU at 56-99 (.361).
• Jamarco Warren’s nine points vs. The Eagles moved him into fourth place on the all-time scoring list with 1,519 points in his career. He needs 38 points to move into a tie for third place.

Double or Nothing
Sophomore Zimmy Nowgbo earned his career double-double against Toccoa Falls on Tuesday, leading the team with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Nwogbo set career highs and both categories on his way to recording the team’s third double double of the season. Johathan Brooks (14 points, 11 rebounds vs. Georgia Tech) and Sheldon Strickland (16 points, 10 assists vs. Montreat) have also notched double-doubles this season.