The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers clinched their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance with a win over Winthrop in the Big South title game. This marks the fourth time Coastal has made the tournament in school history, and they're still searching for their first win.
Resume:
Record – 24-9 (12-6 in Big South)
RPI – 137
Strength of Schedule – 321
Starting Lineup:
G Warren Gillis (Sr.) –12.8 ppg, 3.2 apg
G Shivaughn Wiggins (So.) – 10.3 ppg, 3.3 apg
G Josh Cameron (Sr.) – 12.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg
F Tristian Curtis (Jr.) – 4.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg
F Badou Diagne (Jr.) – 9.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg
Key Player:
Warren Gillis
Gillis has been the engine that drives Coastal for the past two seasons, and his versatility from the point guard position causes problems for the opposition. He's not a great shooter (30.8 percent from long range), but he excels at finishing around the rim and getting to the foul line.
Biggest Strength:
Rebounding
Even though Coastal starts three guards and doesn't have a true center, they're excellent on the glass because of their outstanding athleticism. The rank seventh in the nation in rebounding with 39.7 per game, and that kind of effort will translate against the bigger teams they play.
Biggest Weakness:
Ball Movement
All that athleticism does have a negative affect, as Coastal's guards often prefer to go one-on-one against their defender instead of moving the ball. They rank 265th in the country averaging 11.4 assists per game, a number that won't get it done against the good teams they'll face in the tournament.
Outlook:
Coastal nearly upset Virginia as a No. 16 seed last season, tying the game with eight minutes to play before faltering down the stretch. All of this year's starters were on that team, and that experience could lead them to a first-round upset depending on their seeding.
Back to the NCAA Newsfeed