Sure, Charleston is one of the hottest teams in the Southern Conference.
And yes, the Cougars have won five of their last six games and 17 of the last 20. But that won’t matter to Georgia Southern, which hosts today’s 1 p.m. installment of one of the Southern Conference South Division’s biggest rivalries.
“Charleston is always a great game, no matter where it’s played,” Eagle coach Jeff Price said. “And I don’t expect anything different. This game is always going to be intense.”
The Cougars blocked the potential game-winning shot at the buzzer to secure a 67-64 victory over the Eagles in Charleston earlier this year. This time, Hanner Fieldhouse will be the setting for the nationally televised game (ESPN2), and the Eagles have won five of their last six home games against the Cougars.
“Our guys know we’ve had success against them,” Price said. “We’ve beat them five of the last seven times, and I think because of that it’s created a rivalry and it gives our guys confidence to know that we always play well against the College of Charleston.”
The Cougars have been a popular topic around the league since hiring former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins in July 2006. Cremins, who came out of a six-year retirement to lead Charleston, will be coaching in Hanner for the second time in his storied career. He brought the Yellow Jackets to Statesboro in 1982 and left with a 55-40 victory. Cremins said he doesn’t remember much about the old gym but knows a win won’t come easily.
“Every game in this league is a tough game,” he said. “It’s the last game of the year, and I’m sure there’s a lot of excitement in Statesboro.”
The Cougars have already locked up a first-round bye and the No. 3 seed for next week’s SoCon tournament, and the Eagles, winners of two straight, will be vying the tourney’s seventh seed.
Georgia Southern (13-15, 6-11) will keep its eye on Charleston senior guard Dontaye Draper — the Cougars’ version of former Eagle star Elton Nesbitt — who averages a team-high 15.7 points an outing and has the potential to take over the game.
“He’s what makes them go,” Price said. “They’re really good when he’s on the floor, and they seem to struggle when he’s off of it. We did a really good job on him over there. We’ll try to do the same thing, but really you just try to contain him and keep him down as much as you can. He’s just so explosive.”
Notes: GSU junior forward Louis Graham is eight points away from 1,000 for his career… Today is a “Blue Out” game, and fans are encouraged to wear as much blue as possible.
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.
And yes, the Cougars have won five of their last six games and 17 of the last 20. But that won’t matter to Georgia Southern, which hosts today’s 1 p.m. installment of one of the Southern Conference South Division’s biggest rivalries.
“Charleston is always a great game, no matter where it’s played,” Eagle coach Jeff Price said. “And I don’t expect anything different. This game is always going to be intense.”
The Cougars blocked the potential game-winning shot at the buzzer to secure a 67-64 victory over the Eagles in Charleston earlier this year. This time, Hanner Fieldhouse will be the setting for the nationally televised game (ESPN2), and the Eagles have won five of their last six home games against the Cougars.
“Our guys know we’ve had success against them,” Price said. “We’ve beat them five of the last seven times, and I think because of that it’s created a rivalry and it gives our guys confidence to know that we always play well against the College of Charleston.”
The Cougars have been a popular topic around the league since hiring former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Cremins in July 2006. Cremins, who came out of a six-year retirement to lead Charleston, will be coaching in Hanner for the second time in his storied career. He brought the Yellow Jackets to Statesboro in 1982 and left with a 55-40 victory. Cremins said he doesn’t remember much about the old gym but knows a win won’t come easily.
“Every game in this league is a tough game,” he said. “It’s the last game of the year, and I’m sure there’s a lot of excitement in Statesboro.”
The Cougars have already locked up a first-round bye and the No. 3 seed for next week’s SoCon tournament, and the Eagles, winners of two straight, will be vying the tourney’s seventh seed.
Georgia Southern (13-15, 6-11) will keep its eye on Charleston senior guard Dontaye Draper — the Cougars’ version of former Eagle star Elton Nesbitt — who averages a team-high 15.7 points an outing and has the potential to take over the game.
“He’s what makes them go,” Price said. “They’re really good when he’s on the floor, and they seem to struggle when he’s off of it. We did a really good job on him over there. We’ll try to do the same thing, but really you just try to contain him and keep him down as much as you can. He’s just so explosive.”
Notes: GSU junior forward Louis Graham is eight points away from 1,000 for his career… Today is a “Blue Out” game, and fans are encouraged to wear as much blue as possible.
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.
