5 Things to Know Before the Start of Cougar Basketball Season

With the men’s basketball team set to take on USC-Upstate at T.D. Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, here are five things you need to know about the 2019-20 basketball season.

1. Riller Gets the Pick

Senior Grant Riller was named the Preseason Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. No surprise. He has scored 1,796 career points to date, which ranks seventh most in school history. Last year, Riller ranked second in the league and No. 20 nationally in scoring, averaging a team-best 21.9 points per game. He is also the school-record holder for most points scored in a single game, earning 43 points against Hofstra on Feb. 14, 2019.

2. New Hardwood

The court in TD Arena has received a makeover. A new floor was installed this summer for the start of the new season.

Named after a coaching legend.

Take a closer look at John Kresse Court at TD Arena #comeCus pic.twitter.com/2m7Tn9btQD

— Charleston Basketball (@CofCBasketball) June 24, 2019

3. Television stars

Can’t make it to the game in person? No problem. The Cougars will appear on television 28 times during the 2019-20 season. Earlier this year, the Colonial Athletic Association signed a four-year agreement with FloSports to provide live and on-demand coverage for the league’s 22 sponsored sports, highlighted by extensive coverage of CAA Basketball. Additional CAA men’s basketball games this season will be televised on the CBS Sports Network, including CofC’s home game against Oklahoma State on Nov. 13, 2019, at TD Arena.

4. Tougher 3-point shots

If it looks like the 3-point line is farther back – you are correct. This summer, the NCAA voted to move the men’s college basketball 3-point line back starting this season. The 3-point line will now be placed 22 feet, 1¾ inches away from the basket in Division I play, a change from the 20 feet, 9 inches that had been in place since 2008.

5. Road Trip

You will have to travel a little bit farther to see the Cougars in the CAA Tournament in March. The 2020 CAA Men’s Basketball Championship will be held March 7-10, 2020, at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.