CCU Men’s Hoops schedule released

The Coastal Carolina University men’s basketball team and Head Coach Cliff Ellis has released its 2008-09 schedule.  The Chanticleers will play 14 games in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area and play an exempt tournament for the first time since 1991-92.

Coastal Carolina opens the season Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m., against Coker in Kimbel Arena.  Coastal Carolina then will hit the road for a five-game stretch.  The Chanticleers are at Savannah State Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m., and then play in the Global Sports Classic for a four-game exempt tournament.  Coastal Carolina will be at Florida State Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.  That game can be seen on Fox Sports Net Florida. The Chanticleers then are at Cincinnati Monday, Nov. 24.  Coastal Carolina then flies to Las Vegas, Nev., to play the final two games of the tournament at the Thomas and Mack Center.  Coastal Carolina faces Western Illinois Friday, Nov. 28 at 12 p.m. PST and either North Carolina A&T or Texas-Pan American Saturday, Nov. 29 at either 12 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. PST.

With the addition of Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian to up the Big South schedule to 18 games, Coastal Carolina will now play two conference games in December.  The Chanticleers host Presbyterian Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m., and travel to Charleston Southern Saturday, Dec. 6.

After home games against Southern Virginia and Virginia-Wise Dec. 13-14, Coastal Carolina heads to the College of Charleston Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.  That game will be played in the new Carolina First Center in Charleston.  A road trip at Georgia State Dec. 20 will take Coastal Carolina into the Christmas holiday.  Coastal Carolina then returns from break to host East Carolina at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center Sunday, December 28 at 3 p.m.

Coastal Carolina will have six home games in the month of January, with games against High Point (Jan. 3), Radford (Jan. 5), UNC Asheville (Jan. 19), Winthrop (Jan. 24), Gardner-Webb (Jan. 28) and Charleston Southern (Jan. 31).  Home dates against VMI (Feb. 14) and Liberty (Feb. 16) highlight the month of February. The Chanticleers end the regular season with road games at UNC Asheville Feb. 21 and Winthrop Feb. 28.  The Big South Tournament is March 3, 5 and 7 on campus sites.  The tournament championship is at 4 p.m., and can be seen on ESPN2.

Coastal Carolina returns three starters, five letterwinners and six newcomers to the 2008-09 squad.  That number does not include redshirt junior Joseph Harris (Lejuene, N.C./Lejuene), who played only eight games last season because of a thumb injury and earned a redshirt season. 

Day         Date             Opponent                                                                 Time

Sat.        Nov. 15           COKER                                                                   7 p.m.

Tues.        Nov. 18           at Savannah State                                                         7 p.m.

Sat.        Nov. 22           at Florida State#                                                          7 p.m.

Mon.        Nov. 24           at Cincinnati#                                                                TBA

Fri.          Nov. 28           vs. Western Illinois#                                                12 p.m. PST

Sat.        Nov. 29           vs. Texas-Pan American/North Carolina A&T#                12/2:30 p.m. PST

Wed.        Dec. 3             PRESBYTERIAN*                                                        7 p.m.

Sat.        Dec. 6             at Charleston Southern*                                                    TBA

Sat.        Dec. 13           SOUTHERN VIRGINIA                                                   1 p.m.

Sun.        Dec. 14           VIRGINIA-WISE                                                           4 p.m.

Wed.        Dec. 17           at College of Charleston                                                   7 p.m.

Sat.        Dec. 20           at Georgia State                                                           4 p.m.

Sun.        Dec. 28           EAST CAROLINA (at Myrtle Beach Convention Center)              3 p.m.

Tues.      Dec. 30           EMMANUEL (Ga.)                                                        7 p.m.

Sat.        Jan. 3             HIGH POINT*                                                          4:30 p.m.

Mon.        Jan. 5             RADFORD*                                                            7:30 p.m.

Sat.        Jan. 10           at VMI*                                                                    1 p.m.

Mon.        Jan. 12           at Liberty*                                                                7 p.m.

Sat.        Jan. 17           at Gardner-Webb*                                                    8:15 p.m.

Mon.        Jan. 19           UNC ASHEVILLE*                                                        7 p.m.

Sat.        Jan. 24           WINTHROP*                                                              2 p.m.

Wed.        Jan. 28           GARDNER-WEBB*                                                        7 p.m.

Sat.        Jan. 31           CHARLESTON SOUTHERN*                                          4:30 p.m.

Wed.        Feb. 4             at Presbyterian*                                                          7 p.m.

Sat.        Feb. 7             at High Point*                                                              7 p.m.

Mon.        Feb. 9             at Radford*                                                                7 p.m.

Sat.        Feb. 14           VMI*                                                                  4:30 p.m.

Mon.        Feb. 16           LIBERTY*                                                                7 p.m.

Sat.        Feb. 21           at UNC Asheville*                                                      4:30 p.m.

Sat.        Feb. 28           at Winthrop*                                                                TBA

              March 3-7         at Big South Tournament                                                   TBA