Charleston Southern Buccaneers
Big South (19-12, 12-4)
Charleston Southern had a stellar year in the Big South. They won the South Division with a 12-4 conference record. They won their division on a three-point shooting prowess few teams were able to find all season. From the outside they torch their opponents. They are offensively proficient in a lot of ways. Four of their team members average 10 points or more and they have a lot of young talent. With only two seniors on the roster, the Buccaneers are primed to have a strong run for the next couple of seasons.
Big Wins: 1/26 at Liberty (79-75), 2/16 at North Carolina-Asheville (73-65), 3/2 Coastal Carolina (75-64)
Bad Losses: 11/20 East Tennessee State (57-59), 2/13 at Winthrop (65-70), 3/10 vs Liberty (76-87)
Coach: Barclay Radebaugh (8 years at Charleston Southern)
Why They Can Surprise:
If they are going to make any sort of postseason run, it will be because they are one of the elite three-point shooting teams in the country. They hit over nine per game. Three of their players shoot over 40 percent from behind the arc. Malcolm Bernard is a sharpshooter. He hits a blistering 47 percent from three-point range. It is quite difficult to find proficiency like that anywhere. Because of their strong outside shooting, they obviously put up a lot of points. They average in the mid-70s in terms of points per game. Not many major programs are averaging that many points. They are also pretty strong at stealing the ball on defense. They get nearly eight per game, which sets them up for great half-court offense. They also rank 17th nationally in rebounds.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Like many of their mid-major counterparts, the Buccaneers have a tough time in the paint. They do not have too many guys taller than the size of an average guard. They have forwards that are 6’5”. That is a serious disadvantage for them going into a game against teams like a Florida or an Indiana. Their blocked shot totals are not great, which is interesting considering they are a really good rebounding team. Opponents also shoot really well against Charleston Southern. They allow great shooting from beyond the arc which can get them into trouble. They struggle on turnovers as well and are one of the many teams averaging well over 10 turnovers per game. Combine that with their short roster and they will have a tough time in a half-court offense against a really skilled team.
Probable Starters:
Saah Nimley, Sophomore, Guard, 15.7 ppg, 5.0 apg, 5.3 rpg
Jeremy Sexton, Senior, Guard, 9.9 ppg, 1.4 apg
Arlon Harper, Sophomore, Guard, 15.2 ppg, 2.1 apg, 4.4 rpg
Mathiang Muo, Senior, Forward, 11.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg
Allie Fullah, Junior, Forward-Center, 4.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Paul Gombwer, Sophomore, Forward, 5.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Matt Kennedy, Junior, Guard, 1.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 73.9 (37th in nation, 2nd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 66.6 (177, 5)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.4 (223, 9)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.2 (103, 3)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 9.1 (3, 1)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.8 (81, 2)
Free-Throw Percentage: 71.2 (113, 6)
Rebound Margin: 4.0 (61, 2)
Assists Per Game: 12.2 (211, 8)
Turnovers Per Game: 12.3 (89, 2)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
No Tournament History
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
