COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University men's basketball team starts the 2019-20 season on Friday participating in the 45 Second Classic in Wilson, N.C. hosted by Barton College.
The Cougars play Barton to begin the year on Friday before wrapping up the weekend with a matchup against the University of Mount Olive on Saturday.
Columbus State played its lone exhibition game of the preseason on Nov. 1 against Florida State. The Cougars were down seven late in the opening half but eventually fell 84-54 to the Seminoles. Seniors
Bryant Givens and
Landrius Horton scored 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Last season, the Cougars reached the Peach Belt Conference Tournament posting a 13-16 record. Tenth-year head coach
Robert Moore returns nine seniors, including four out of the top-five leading scorers from a season ago. Horton, a preseason All-PBC selection, was the conference's leading rebounder in 2018-19 (9.3 rebs/game) while averaging 15.5 points per game. Givens (15.6 ppg, 6.0 assists/game) ranked 10
th in the league in scoring, including two 30-point performances.
CSU was picked to finish fourth in the PBC in the league's coaches poll.
| CSU |
2018-19 Stats |
BC |
| 13-16 |
Record |
22-8 |
| 77.9 |
PPG |
90.1 |
| 80.6 |
Opp. PPG |
77.5 |
| 42.7% |
FG% |
50.7% |
| 45.6% |
Opp. FG% |
46.0% |
| 37.1 |
Rebs/Game |
38.5 |
| 31.1% |
3PT FG% |
41.0% |
| 37.0% |
Opp. 3PT FG% |
34.7% |
| 69.4% |
FT% |
73.8% |
| 14.4 |
Assists/Game |
19.3 |
| 7.6 |
Steals/Game |
6.8 |
| 3.4 |
Blocks/Game |
2.3 |
Game 1
Opponent: Barton College
Date: Friday, Nov. 8, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Site: Wilson Gym (2,500), Wilson, N.C.
Radio: NewsRadio 540 WDAK Scott Miller, play-by-play.
Live Video Stream: Barton College Digital Network
Series History: First-ever meeting
Last Meeting: -
Barton is coming off an impressive 2018-19 campaign posting a 22-8 record. The Bulldogs return two All-Conference selections in guard Michael Boykin (14.0 ppg, 3.6 assists/game) and forward Isaiah Reddish (12.2 ppg, 60.1 FG%). Overall, head coach Ron Lievense, who is entering his 25
th year at Barton, returns 11 players from last season's squad.
The Bulldogs were picked second in the Conference Carolinas preseason coaches poll.
| CSU |
2018-19 Stats |
UMO |
| 13-16 |
Record |
14-16 |
| 77.9 |
PPG |
74.8 |
| 80.6 |
Opp. PPG |
74.4 |
| 42.7% |
FG% |
44.5% |
| 45.6% |
Opp. FG% |
46.4% |
| 37.1 |
Rebs/Game |
31.6 |
| 31.1% |
3PT FG% |
36.6% |
| 37.0% |
Opp. 3PT FG% |
36.8% |
| 69.4% |
FT% |
74.1% |
| 14.4 |
Assists/Game |
14.0 |
| 7.6 |
Steals/Game |
6.3 |
| 3.4 |
Blocks/Game |
3.3 |
Game 2
Opponent: University of Mount Olive
Date: Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Site: Wilson Gym (2,500), Wilson, N.C.
Radio: NewsRadio 540 WDAK Scott Miller, play-by-play.
Series History: First-ever meeting
Last Meeting: -
Mount Olive wrapped up last season with a 14-16 record and will begin its year with a game against No. 13 Augusta on Friday before taking on the Cougars. Reigning Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year Michael Brown (10.2 ppg, 4.8 assists/game) will lead the Trojans this season. Senior Dominique Tham (11.7 ppg, 8.5 reb/game) is also a key returner for UMO.
The Trojans lost 113-73 in an exhibition game at North Carolina State on Oct. 27. Jermiah Phifer was the lone player who scored in double figures with 19 behind five made 3's.
Twelfth-year head coach Joey Higginbotham returns nine players from last year with the Trojans being selected third in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll.
Cougar Notes
• This will be 53
rd year of Columbus State basketball since the University became a four-year institution. It will be CSU's 48
th year of competing at the NCAA Division II level.
• Overall, the Cougars have been playing basketball since the 1958-59 season. CSU has an all-time record of 958-673 (.587 winning percentage).
• In the Division II era, the Cougars are 37-10 in season openers. Under
Robert Moore, CSU is 7-2.
• It will be just the ninth time that Columbus State has played a true road game to begin the season since the 1972-73 season. The previous time was in 2010-11 when the Cougars fell to Alabama-Huntsville. CSU is 3-5 in the previous eight season openers on the road.
