North Carolina (13-1) vs. Charleston (10-2)
Chapel Hill, N.C. - Dean E. Smith Center
9 p.m., FSN South
Quotables
"We got too comfortable and it's a wake-up call. We took that hit on the chin. It hurts and we're going to come out fighting to get that feeling to go away." – UNC guard Wayne Ellington on the loss to Boston College
“It was just because of Bobby Cremins and the respect that I have for him… Bobby had talked to me about coming and opening their new arena. We couldn’t get that exactly worked out, but he thought it would be nice for their program and nice for him.” – UNC head coach Roy Williams on the series with College of Charleston, including a return trip to the Palmetto State next season
PREGAME NOTES
Season to Date: College of Charleston enters Wednesday night’s contest with a 10-2 (2-1 Southern Conference) record. Head coach Bobby Cremins’ squad have proven to be one of the top mid-major schools in the country, holding down the eighth spot in CollegeInsider.com’s current mid-major rankings – eight spots ahead of previous UNC opponent Evansville. The Cougars lost to Temple (70-65) in November, and then reeled off nine straight victories before losing to Davidson (79-75) on Dec. 29. The signature win thus far is an 82-80 overtime thriller against South Carolina (11-2).
Steady Play at the Two Guard Spot: Andrew Goudelock is leading College of Charleston in scoring with 17.9 points per game, including double-digit performances in all 12 games this season. The sophomore guard has been on fire recently, averaging 22.5 points over his last three contests, thanks in part to knocking down 13 of his 28 3-pointers during that stretch.
Balanced Scoring: While Goudelock is the Cougar’s leading scorer, his fellow starters have provided plenty of support in the box score. Junior point guard Tony White (10.3 points per game, 3.2 assists per game) directs traffic, while seniors Jermaine Johnson (11.8 ppg, 8.8 rebounds per game) and Dustin Scott (10.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) roam the paint for Cremins. Six-foot-seven sophomore Antwaine Wiggins (10.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg) does a little bit of everything, whether it be drilling six of his eight 3-point attempts against Elon or hitting the game-winner on a putback against Winthrop.
Woeful at the Foul Line: Quite possibly one of the reasons that no one in the Cougars frontcourt is averaging more than 12 points a game could be that group’s inability to knock down their free throws. Scott (52.4 percent), Wiggins (.455) and Johnson (54.3) have struggled all season long, while backup Jeremy Simmons (out with right knee injury) leads the foursome with a 61.1 shooting percentage from the line.
500 in the Books: When the College of Charleston defeated Coastal Carolina, 73-58, on Dec. 17, it marked the 500th victory of Bobby Cremins’ lengthy career. The 61-year-old head coach, who is in his third year at Charleston, is now 502-337 in 28 seasons. He also coached 19 years at Georgia Tech and six at Appalachian State.
Another Important Milestone: After a difficult upbringing that included seven different high schools, Johnson graduated from the College of Charleston on Dec. 28 with a degree in corporate communications and a minor in theater. The Los Angeles, Calif. native was named second team SoCon in 2007-08 after earning distinction as the conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2005-06.
Last Meeting: Troy Wheless scored 21 points as the Cougars defeated UNC, 66-60, on Dec. 21, 2001. Jason Capel led North Carolina with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Will Johnson added 14.
Series History: The series between North Carolina and the College of Charleston is tied, 2-2. The two programs played four seasons in a row from 1998-99 to 2001-02 in Charlotte in the Food Lion Tournament of Champions. Most Tar Heel fans remember the first game between these two schools, as Danny Johnson’s putback with 0.1 seconds left gave the Cougars an upset of No. 3 North Carolina, 66-64, on Dec. 5, 1998.
Projected Starters:
32 Tony White (6-0, 150, Jr.) – 10.3 ppg, 3.2 apg
3 Andrew Goudelock (6-1, 200, So.) - 17.9 ppg, 2.6 apg
44 Antwaine Wiggins (6-7, 193, So.) – 10.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg
5 Jermaine Johnson (6-7, 250, Sr.) - 11.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg
11 Dustin Scott (6-8, 235, Sr.) – 10.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg
Key Reserves:
21 Jeremy Simmons (6-8, 230, So.) – 7.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg
1 Donavan Monroe (6-1, 205, So.) – 6.9 ppg
31 Marcus Hammond (6-3, 205, Sr.) – 5.8 ppg
Background
Location: Charleston, S.C.
Enrollment: 11,617
Conference: Southern
Nickname: Cougars
Colors: Maroon & White
Head Coach: Bobby Cremins
Record at CC: 48-30
Last Year: 16-17 (9-11)
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