2023–24 Charleston Cougars men's basketball team explained

Year:2023-24
Team:Charleston Cougars
Conference:Coastal Athletic Association
Short Conf:CAA
Next Year:2024-25
Mode:Basketball
Record:27–8
Conf Record:15–3
Head Coach:Pat Kelsey
Hc Year:3rd
Assoc Coach:Brian Kloman
Asst Coach2:Michael Cassidy
Asst Coach3:Thomas Carr
Stadium:TD Arena
Champion:CAA regular season and tournament champions
Tourney:NCAA tournament
Tourney Result:First Round

The 2023–24 Charleston Cougars men's basketball team represented the College of Charleston in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars, led by third-year head coach Pat Kelsey, played their home games at TD Arena in Charleston, South Carolina, as members of the Coastal Athletic Association. They finished the 27–8, 15–3 in CAA play to win the regular season championship. The team defeated Monmouth, Towson, and Stony Brook to win the CAA tournament. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 13 seed in the West region.[1] There they lost in the first round to Alabama, a team that went on to that year's Final Four.[2]

On March 28, 2024, head coach Pat Kelsey left the team to take the head coaching position at Louisville.[3]

Previous season

See main article: 2022–23 Charleston Cougars men's basketball team.

The Cougars finished the 2022–23 season 31–4, 16–2 in CAA play to finish tied for first place with Hofstra. 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.[4]

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.

On November 20, 2022, the Cougars defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Charleston Classic Championship game, winning the local tournament for the first time in program history. On January 2, 2023, the Cougars were ranked in the AP poll for the first time in 20 years. They remained ranked for four weeks, the earliest in any season that the Cougars have been ranked for multiple consecutive weeks.[5]

Offseason

Departures

Charleston departures
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for departure
Dalton Bolon3G6'4"205GSGnadenhutten, OhioGraduated
sortnameRaekwon Horton 5 F6'6" 200 SO Santee, South CarolinaTransferred to James Madison[6]
sortnameRyan Larson11 G6'1" 180 GS Saint Paul, MinnesotaGraduated
sortnamePat Robinson III 15 G6'3" 195 GS Chesterfield, New JerseyGraduated
sortnameJaylon Scott21 6'5" 195 GS Allen, TexasGraduated
sortnameBabacar Faye 35 F6'8" 190 FR Saly, SenegalTransferred to Western Kentucky[7]
Charles Lampten42F6'11"230SRRoanoke, TexasTransferred to Western Carolina[8]

Incoming transfers

Charleston incoming transfers
NameNumberPosHeightWeightYearHometownPrevious schoolYears remainingDate eligible
Frankie Policelli[9] 1 225 GS New Hartford, New YorkStony Brook1 October 1, 2023
Bryce Butler[10] 4G6'5"205GSLatrobe, PennsylvaniaWest Liberty1October 1, 2023
Kobe Rodgers[11] 11G6'3"180JRCincinnati, OhioNova Southeastern2October 1, 2023
CJ Fulton[12] 12G6'2"190JRLafayette2October 1, 2023

2023 recruiting class

Preseason

In the conference's preseason poll, the Cougars were picked to finish in first place.[13]

Juniors Ante Brzovic (CAA Preseason First Team), Reyne Smith (CAA Preseason Second Team) and Ben Burnham announced that they would be returning to the team.[14] [15]

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[16]

Awards and honors

Conference honors
CAA Tournament Most Outstanding PlayerReyne SmithG
CAA All-Tournament TeamReyne SmithG
CAA All-Tournament TeamFrankie PolicelliF
CAA All-Tournament TeamKobe RodgersG
CAA Sixth Man of the YearBryce ButlerG
All-CAA First TeamAnte BrzovicF
All-CAA Second TeamReyne SmithG
All-CAA Third TeamBen BurnhamF
CAA All-Rookie TeamJames ScottF
Source[18] [19]

References

  1. Web site: 2024-03-12 . Cougars Reyne Supreme Again in CAA . 2024-03-24 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  2. Web site: 2024-03-22 . Cougars End Season in NCAA First Round . 2024-03-24 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  3. Web site: McGavic . Matthew . Louisville Officially Hires Pat Kelsey as Men’s Basketball Head Coach . 2024-04-01 . Sports Illustrated Louisville Cardinals News, Analysis and More . en.
  4. Web site: 2023-03-07 . Cougars Rule CAA After Rallying Past UNCW . 2023-10-09 . College of Charleston Athletics .
  5. Web site: 2022-23 College of Charleston Cougars Men 's Schedule and Results . 2023-10-09 . College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com .
  6. Web site: News-Record . SHANE METTLEN Daily . 2023-05-14 . Charleston Guard Horton Commits To JMU . 2024-04-16 . Daily News-Record . en.
  7. Web site: Babacar Faye Signed to 2023-24 Roster . 2024-04-16 . Western Kentucky University Athletics . en.
  8. Web site: 2023-04-11 . Graduate Transfer Charles Lampten Joins Catamount Basketball . 2024-04-16 . Western Carolina University . en.
  9. Web site: 2024-04-02 . CAA Rebounding Leader Joins Cougars . 2024-04-16 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  10. Web site: 2024-04-02 . Kelsey Signs Butler as Graduate Transfer . 2024-04-16 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  11. Web site: 2024-04-02 . Division II National Champion Rodgers Set to Join Men's Basketball Program . 2024-04-16 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  12. Web site: 2024-04-02 . Irish National Team Member Fulton Signs with Cougars . 2024-04-16 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  13. Web site: McQuiggan . Miles . Charleston Tabbed as CAA Men’s Basketball Favorite; Drexel’s Williams Selected as Preseason Player of the Year . 2023-10-19 . caasports.com . en.
  14. Web site: 2023-10-18 . Men's Basketball Picked First in CAA Preseason Poll . 2023-10-20 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  15. Web site: 2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster . 2023-10-11 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  16. Web site: 2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule . 2023-10-11 . College of Charleston Athletics . en.
  17. Web site: apmiller@postandcourier.com . Andrew Miller . 2024-03-07 . College of Charleston's Pat Kelsey, Bryce Butler receive postseason CAA awards . 2024-05-03 . Post and Courier . en.
  18. Web site: McQuiggan . Miles . CAA Men's Basketball Annual Awards Unveiled; Hofstra's Thomas Named Player of the Year . 2024-05-03 . caasports.com . en.
  19. Web site: Washburn . Rob . Charleston Prevails in Overtime to Win Back-to-Back CAA Championships . 2024-05-03 . caasports.com . en.