The College of Charleston men’s basketball team set off to the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis tournament traveling in comfort and style via a charter plane with close to 50 Cougar Club boosters to Paradise Island, Bahamas, on Nov. 22. Upon their arrival, they were police escorted to the hotel and soon enjoyed a buffet dinner with all of the fixings. Junior Willis Hall was a good sport as he was serenaded by the Atlantis Resort staff wishing him, with the rest of the team, a Happy 21st Birthday.

Like any road trip, it’s all business and the focus is always on basketball. However, the Cougars enjoyed the day off on Nov. 23 to take in the resort’s immediate access to the beach and ocean as well as the waterpark and slides. Later that night, the team enjoyed a welcome dinner along with the seven other schools in the tournament field including defending national champion Connecticut, Harvard, Central Florida, UNC Asheville, Utah, Florida State and UMass. They were also greeted by team host, Miss South Carolina USA Erika Powell, and unofficial team host, Miss North Carolina USA Sydney Perry (for the North Carolinians on our roster).

CofC opened the tournament with a 74-63 loss to Central Florida on Thanksgiving Day on VERSUS network. The Knights who would go on to reach the finals after upsetting No. 4-ranked UConn on the second day of play. It was another chance for the coaching staff to learn more about the team at such an early point of the season. Sophomore forward Trent Wiedeman led the Cougars in scoring with 19 points, while junior point guard Andrew Lawrence turned in his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-best 10 assists with only two turnovers.

Video Music: Roll Up by Wiz Khalifa

It can’t get any better than winning at an ACC school for your first road trip of the season, especially for a young, mid-major team in rebuilding mode. The Cougars, armed with confidence and momentum after season-opening wins against Holy Cross and Morehead State, claimed only their second-ever victory in the 11-game all-time series with Clemson on Nov. 19 at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. It was their first-ever road win in the series in seven tries and first win against the Tigers since a 30-10 victory on Jan. 20, 1925 at the Sumter Guard Armory in Charleston, S.C.

CofC has now knocked off a major conference opponent on the road for two-straight years next to a 91-78 victory at Tennessee on Dec. 31, 2010 in Knoxville, Tenn. The Cougars are also off to a 3-0 start to the season for the first time in eight years and first under sixth-year head coach Bobby Cremins. Senior Antwaine Wiggins scored a game-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field with four of the team’s five three-pointers in the contest, while freshman Anthony Stitt played a career-high 27 minutes with eight points and two assists with zero turnovers against the stunned Tigers.

Former CofC walk-on Jordan Turok was in attendance at the game as well as Coach Cremins’ former Georgia Tech point guard and NBA All-Star Mark Price. It’s always nice for the team to reunite with family and friends and have Maroon and White support in the stands, especially in such as tough environment as Clemson.

Video Music: Ours by The Bravery

The Cougars prepped for the earliest-known game in program history hosting 2011 NCAA Tournament participant Morehead State in an early-bird rematch on Nov. 15 at TD Arena on ESPN. CofC students were clad in pajamas as the team took part in ESPN’s 24-Hours of College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. Even all-time leading scorer and 2011 NBA Draft pick Andrew Goudelock joined in the early-morning festivities wearing PJs and visiting with the ESPN crew of play-by-play announcer Jon Sciambi and color analyst Stephen Bardo.

Dunkin’ Donuts hosted a student tailgate with a variety of donuts and coffee available for consumption prior to the 8 a.m. tip-off on national television. The Cougars started off on a hot streak with a 9-0 run courtesy of three-pointers by senior Antwaine Wiggins, sophomore Jordan Scott and junior Andrew Lawrence. CofC would go on to avenge a 20-point road loss to the Eagles on Jan. 2, 2011 in Morehead, Ky.

Thank you to our fans for coming out to support us (we outdrew some of the top major conference programs participating in the event in attendance) and helping #CofC trend on Twitter. Also, a big thank you to ESPN for a terrific production and everyone behind the scenes who made the early game happen successfully.

Video Music: Fire Burning by Sean Kingston

The College of Charleston men’s basketball team commenced its 102nd season with a 78-69 victory over Holy Cross on Nov. 11 before a sellout crowd at TD Arena. It marked the 15th all-time sold-out game in the venue’s history and the official Cougar debut of highly-touted freshman Adjehi Baru. Sophomore Trent Wiedeman registered his fifth career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while junior point guard Andrew Lawrence turned in 16 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor and 3-of-4 marksmanship from beyond the arc in just 27 minutes of action. He played sparingly in the second half due to cramps. Sophomore Jordan Scott, who made his first career start, knocked down a career-high nine points including two of the team’s seven three-pointers on the night against the Crusaders.

Video Music: Fly by Nicki Minaj

Six Cougars scored in double figures as the College of Charleston men’s basketball team rolled past NCAA Division II Limestone College, 95-61, in its final exhibition game of the preseason on Nov. 5 at TD Arena. Led by 15 points from sophomore Jordan Scott, the Cougars shot 49.4 percent from the field including 47.6 percent from three-point range. Scott also led the team with four assists. Sophomore Trent Wiedeman registered a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while sophomore James Carlton also notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards including eight on the offensive end. The Cougars improved to 5-1 all-time in exhibition games played during the Bobby Cremins Era. It was the largest margin of victory in an exhibition game for the Cougars (+34) under Cremins.

Video Music: Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO

Sophomore guard Jordan Scott scored a game-high 23 points to lead five players in double figures as College of Charleston defeated NCAA Division II Queens University of Charlotte, 89-65, in exhibition play on Oct. 29 at TD Arena. It marked the unofficial debut of freshman big man Adjehi Baru who turned in a double-double performance with 13 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes of play versus the Royals. He was one of was one of four freshmen to see quality minutes along with Anthony Stitt (21 minutes), Trevonté Dixon (20 minutes) and Pat Branin (four minutes). CofC all-time leading scorer and 2011 NBA Draft pick Andrew Goudelock provided color commentary on the live video stream of the exhibition game on CofCSports.com.

Video Music: Without You by Usher and David Guetta

Adjehi Baru Begins New Journey

ESPN.com

NCAA Clears Baru: Charleston Basketball Recruit Gets OK To Play

Post & Courier

CofC’s Baru Cleared To Play By NCAA

Live 5 News

Bobby Cremins Rolls With The Punches

Lowcountry Today.com

The 2011-12 College of Charleston Basketball season got underway with the first official day of practice on Oct. 15 at TD Arena. It was a busy day for the Cougars as they posed for their official team photo on The Cistern, met with the local media for preseason interviews and went through strength and conditioning drills with CofC Director of Sports Performance Steve Bamel. A week prior, the players posed for photos for the UNCAGED CofC Athletics Marketing Campaign with photographer Diana Deaver and creative director Alfred Hall in the CofC Division of Marketing and Communications. From the video, you will see their fun-loving personalities shine through. Former CofC star Andrew Goudelock has been a frequent visitor at practice, while he works toward completing his undergraduate coursework during the NBA Lockout.

Video Music: Good Feeling by FloRida

Close to 200 College of Charleston Basketball campers recently participated in individual skill instruction, skill competitions, 5-on-5 games and daily contests over the course of five days at Carolina First Arena and Silcox Gym on the CofC campus.

Like any summer camp, the event brought children of all ages together for a fun-filled week of basketball instruction as well as the opportunity to meet new friends and build lifelong friendships through the experience. Campers were divided into leagues based on age and skill level.

Prior to Friday’s awards ceremony, CofC men’s basketball coach Bobby Cremins spoke to the group and reminded the campers of the importance of doing well in school and that, “It’s not about winning games. It’s about learning (the fundamentals of the game).”

Current and former CofC basketball players served as counselors and instructors and signed autographs on the final day of camp including rising junior Willis Hall and recent NBA Draft pick Andrew Goudelock (2008-11) of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jeremy Simmons (2008-11), Donavan Monroe (2008-11), Jordan Turok (2008-11), Tony White, Jr. (2007-10), Dustin Scott (2008-09), David Lawrence (2005-07), Jermaine Johnson (2006-09) and Marcus Hammond (2006-09).

For more information on future Bobby Cremins Basketball Camps, log onto: www.BobbyCremins.com.

The Chick-fil-A sponsored team of Todd Smyth, Drew Grossklaus, Jason Hall and Dave Williamson took home the title of 2011 Cremins Challenge Champions. The two-day tournament which took place at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island, consisted of six rounds of play between 12 teams.  The Chick-fil-A team did not lose a single match during their run, compiling 96 points along the way. In second place was Team Ben Roth followed by the Family Circle Tennis Center team in third.

The Fifth Annual Cremins Challenge is one of two major fundraising events put on by the Cougar Club each year. Head Coach Bobby Cremins and his wife, Carolyn, are both avid tennis players and not only host, but play in the event each year. In addition to the tennis tournament, there is a cocktail party held on Friday evening for all players, court sponsors and any community members wishing to attend.  The tournament is a great opportunity to meet Coach Cremins and his staff as well as enjoy the scenic surrounding of the world-famous Family Circle Tennis Center.

Thank you to all of our court sponsors including: Turner Electrical, Chick-fil-A, Twin Rivers Capital, Community FirstBank, Sleep Inn, Charleston Beer Works, Kitchell Verano Group, Northwestern Mutual, Select Health of SC, Lofton and Lofton, Halls Chophouse, the Links at Stono Ferry, Friends of the College of Charleston, The Law Offices of Gedney Howe III, Parker Poe, Leath, Bouch and Seekings, Bill Longfield and Morgan Keegan. 

A special thanks also to our food sponsors including Condon Food Company (food for the Cocktail Party on Friday), Chick-fil-A and Coburg Dairy (breakfast for players on Saturday), Jim ‘N Nicks (lunch for players on Saturday), Clyde Burris (liquor for Cocktail Party), Pearlstine Distributors (beer for Cocktail Party) and Cheryll Woods-Flowers for providing coffee for the players on Saturday morning.