2022–23 Charleston Cougars men's basketball team explained

Mode:Basketball
Year:2022–23
Team:Charleston Cougars
Conference:Colonial Athletic Association
Short Conf:CAA
Record:31–4
Conf Record:16–2
Head Coach:Pat Kelsey
Hc Year:2nd
Assoc Coach:Brian Kloman
Asst Coach2:Michael Cassidy
Asst Coach3:Thomas Carr
Stadium:TD Arena
Champion:CAA co-regular season and tournament champions
Charleston Classic champions
Bowl:NCAA tournament
Bowl Result:First Round
Prev Year:2021–22
Next Year:2023–24

The 2022–23 College of Charleston Cougars men's basketball team represented the College of Charleston in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by second-year head coach Pat Kelsey, played their home games at the TD Arena in Charleston, South Carolina as members of the Colonial Athletic Association.

On January 2, 2023, the Cougars were ranked in the AP poll for the first time in 20 years.[1] They remained ranked for four weeks, the earliest in any season that the Cougars have been ranked for multiple consecutive weeks.[2]

The team defeated Stony Brook, Towson, and UNC Wilmington to win the CAA tournament, claiming the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The team won 31 games before qualifying for the NCAA tournament, a record for the school's Division I era.[3]

This was the 6th NCAA tournament appearance in program history. As a No. 12 seed in the NCAA tournament's Southern region, they were defeated in the first round by No. 5 seed San Diego State, a team that went on to upset No. 1 seed Alabama in the Sweet 16 and later played in the national championship game.

Previous season

The Cougars finished the 2021–22 season 17–15, 8–10 in CAA play, to finish in sixth place. They defeated Hofstra in the quarterfinals of the CAA tournament[4] before losing to UNC Wilmington in the semifinals.[5] [6]

Offseason

Departures

Charleston departures
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for departure
Jordan Sechan1G6'1"GSNew Canaan, ConnecticutGraduated
sortnameBrendan Tucker 5 G6'3" 180 JR Lawrenceville, GeorgiaTransferred to Georgia State[7]
sortnameDimitrius Underwood11 G/F6'4" 215 GS Mesquite, TexasGraduated
sortnameJohn Meeks 12 F6'6" 224 GS Burlington, North CarolinaGraduated
sortnameNick Farrar30 F6'6" 250 SO Apex, North CarolinaTransferred to UNC Wilmington[8]
sortnameOsinachi Smart 33 F/C6'8" 240 GS Umuahia, NigeriaGraduated

Incoming transfers

Charleston incoming transfers
NameNumberPosHeightWeightYearHometownPrevious schoolYears remainingDate eligible
Ante Brzovic10 230 SO Zagreb, CroatiaSoutheastern Oklahoma State3 October 1, 2022
Ryan Larson11G6'1"180GSSaint Paul, MinnesotaWofford1October 1, 2022
Pat Robinson III15G6'3"195GSChesterfield, New JerseyWest Liberty1October 1, 2022
Jaylon Scott21G6'5"195GSAllen, TexasBethel1October 1, 2022
Source[9]

2022 recruiting class

Preseason

In the conference's preseason poll, the Cougars were picked to finish in fourth place.[10]

2022 All-CAA Rookie Team members Reyne Smith and Ben Burnham continued for a second year on the team, and Dalton Bolon returned after an injury early last season.

Schedule and results

|-!colspan=12 style=|Non-conference regular season|-!colspan=12 style=|CAA regular season|-!colspan=12 style=| CAA tournament|-!colspan=12 style=}| NCAA tournamentSource[11]

Awards and honors

Conference honors
CAA Tournament Most Outstanding PlayerRyan LarsonG
CAA All-Tournament TeamRyan LarsonG
CAA All-Tournament TeamAnte BrzovicF
CAA Sixth Man of the YearPat Robinson IIIG
All-CAA First TeamDalton BolonG
All-CAA Third TeamRyan LarsonG
All-CAA Third TeamAnte BrzovicF
CAA All-Defensive TeamJaylon ScottG

Source[14] [15]

Rankings

See also: 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings.

*AP does not release post-NCAA tournament rankings.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Marshall . John . 2023-01-02 . College of Charleston makes AP ‘Top 25’ basketball ranking for first time in 20 years . 2023-01-20 . WCBD News 2 . en-US.
  2. Web site: 2022-23 College of Charleston Cougars Men's Schedule and Results . 2023-02-24 . Sports Reference: College Basketball . en-US.
  3. Web site: Cougars Rule CAA After Rallying Past UNCW . 2023-03-10 . College of Charleston Athletics . en-US.
  4. Web site: Charleston vs. Hofstra - Men's College Basketball Game Summary - March 6, 2022 . November 23, 2022 . ESPN . en.
  5. Web site: March 8, 2022 . CofC’s Season Concludes as Cougars Fall to UNCW, 60–57, in CAA Semifinals . November 22, 2022 . Live5News.com . en.
  6. Web site: Clark . Dave . March 8, 2022 . Pat Kelsey, Charleston fall on controversial charge call in CAA tournament semifinal . November 22, 2022 . Cincinnati.com . en.
  7. Web site: Michalowski . George . 2022-04-08 . College of Charleston Transfer Brendan Tucker Commits to Georgia State . 2024-04-16 . The Portal Report . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2024-04-16 . Seahawks add transfers from Ole Miss, College of Charleston . 2022-04-15 . . en . www.wect.com.
  9. Web site: apmiller@postandcourier.com . Andrew Miller . 2022-12-28 . College of Charleston's Division II transfers key to best start in decades . 2024-04-16 . Post and Courier . en.
  10. Web site: McQuiggan . Miles . Towson Selected as Preseason Favorite in CAA Men's Basketball; Hofstra's Estrada Tabbed as Player of the Year . November 23, 2022 . caasports.com . en.
  11. Web site: 2022-23 Men's Basketball Schedule. 2022-11-24. College of Charleston Athletics. en.
  12. Web site: 2022-11-20 . Cougars Win Charleston Classic . 2024-05-05 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  13. Web site: Communications . Charleston Athletic . Charleston's Bolon Named First Team Academic All-America Selection . 2024-04-07 . caasports.com . en.
  14. Web site: McQuiggan . Miles . Estrada, Williams Collect Back-to-Back Major CAA Awards . 2024-04-07 . caasports.com . en.
  15. Web site: Washburn . Rob . Second-Half Surge Lifts Charleston to CAA Title . 2024-04-07 . caasports.com . en.