Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Big South (24-9, 12-6)
Coastal Carolina is a very good team in a surprisingly good conference. They ended the season with the most wins in the Big South despite being ranked third at the end of the regular season. The Chanticleers can run up and down the court. They can bang with anybody down low and look to step on the opponent’s throat. This is a fun team to watch.
Big Wins: 12/5 at Auburn (58-54), 12/31 at High Point (83-68), 3/7 vs Gardner-Webb (73-70)
Bad Losses: 1/22 at UNC Asheville (65-75), 1/28 Winthrop (68-75), 2/26 at Presbyterian (69-80)
Coach: Cliff Ellis
Why They Can Surprise:
Coastal Carolina plays very sound on both ends of the court. They average over 70 points per game on offense and hold their opponents to just 61 points. That consistency on both sides has equaled success for the Chanticleers. It makes it very difficult for opposing teams to stay close late in games. Their biggest strength is their rebounding ability. Fifth in the nation in rebounding, they get to nearly every ball around the rim. They average just near 40 rebounds per game. They are not a particularly large team, but they attack the glass ferociously. Coastal Carolina should have a lot of confidence going into the NCAAs. Throughout the season, they have strung together multiple winning streaks, and winning handily in a lot of cases. They played teams like UCLA and Ole Miss tough and beat Auburn on the road. They will not be intimidated come opening weekend.
Why They Can Disappoint:
They fill it up, but the Chanticleers are not the best shooters. They shoot just under 44% from the field, but they are even worse from the foul line. They shoot under 70% as a team. A close game is not the type of situation they want to be in during the closing minutes. They have poor assist numbers. They prefer to go fast and complete fast break points, but in the half-court they are not the most efficient team. They turn the ball over 12 times per game. That could be a by-product of their playing style, but it will be a problem for them against strong defensive teams moving through the tournament.
Probable Starters:
Warren Gillis, Senior, Guard, 13.1 ppg, 3.2 apg
Shivaughn Wiggins, Sophomore, Guard, 10.2 ppg, 3.2 apg
Josh Cameron, Senior, Guard, 12.9 ppg, 1.5 apg
Badou Diagne, Junior, Forward, 9.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg
Tristian Curtis, Junior, Forward, 4.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Elijah Wilson, Sophomore, Guard, 11.1 ppg
Marcus Freeman, Junior, Forward, 5.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Michel Enanga, Junior, Forward, 2.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 71.7 (72nd in nation, 7th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 61.7 (56, 1)
Field-Goal Percentage: 43.9 (148, 7)
Field-Goal Defense: 39.1 (26, 1)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.7 (133, 7)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.6 (114, 6)
Free-Throw Percentage: 68.8 (189, 8)
Rebound Margin: 8.6 (5, 1)
Assists Per Game: 11.4 (261, 9)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.9 (108, 4)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2014 NCAA Second Round loss to Virginia
2012 CIT First Round loss to Old Dominion
2011 NIT First Round loss to Alabama
2010 NIT First Round loss to UAB
1993 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Michigan
1991 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Indiana
*all team stats through 3/8
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
