Men’s Basketball Claims CAA Title, Clinches Spot at NCAA Tourney

The College of Charleston’s production of “Our City” will soon be performed on the national stage.

The Cougars upended the University of North Carolina-Wilmington by a score of 63-58 on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, to capture the 2023 Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship in Washington, D.C., and secure an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Guard Ryan Larson was a top scorer at the CAA championship game.

Senior Ryan Larson led the Cougars with 23 points including four steals, while sophomore Ante Brzovic scored 16 points and captured eight rebounds.

With the crowd chanting “our city” at the end of the game, the Cougars captured their 31st win of the season – making them the first men’s basketball team in the NCAA Division I to earn over 30 wins this year.

After the game, Larson said that a trip to the NCAA Tournament was their main goal from day one of the season.

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“We found a way to win,” he said. “This is such a special team. It goes beyond basketball.”

Coach Pat Kelsey praised the toughness of his team during its CAA Tournament run.

“It is something that we pride ourselves on,” said Kelsey. “There might be some teams as tough as we are, but there is not another, tougher team in the country.”

Charleston will learn who their first-round opponent is on Sunday, March 12, 2023, when the NCAA Tournament brackets are released.

The Cougars last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2018.