Can Coastal Carolina's Men's Basketball Team Rebound?
Coastal Carolina's men's basketball team faces a crucial test this Saturday as they look to turn things around on the road against Old Dominion. The game is set for a 2 p.m. tip-off at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, marking another stop in the Chanticleers' month-long away stretch.
Coastal Carolina (currently 6-6, 0-1 in conference play) is eager to bounce back after a tough 67-49 loss to App State on Thursday. Their opponent, Old Dominion (standing at 4-8, 1-0 in the conference), is riding high after a 77-68 victory over James Madison in their conference opener.
Despite the recent setback, Coastal Carolina boasts a strong defense, ranking among the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference. They lead the league in rebounds per game with 42.3 and field goal percentage defense at .373. They also hold a national ranking in defensive rebounds per game, total rebounds per game, and field goal defense. Impressively, Coastal has held opponents to under 40% shooting in eight games this season.
Coastal's offense is spearheaded by Joshua Beadle, AJ Dancler, and Rasheed Jones, who combine to average 41.9 points per game. This trio forms the fourth-highest scoring group in the Sun Belt, with all three players ranking among the top 20 in the conference for scoring. In the recent game against App State, Rasheed Jones led the Chanticleers with 13 points.
Old Dominion enters Saturday's match-up with a perfect 4-0 home record, shooting a solid 43.1% from the field. Their key players include KC Shaw (averaging 15.5 points per game), Jordan Battle (13.4 points per game), and LJ Thomas (12.3 points per game). Interestingly, Jordan Battle, who played for Coastal in the 2024-25 season, leads Old Dominion in rebounds (5.7) and steals (18).
Here's where it gets interesting: Old Dominion has a historical edge over Coastal in Sun Belt meetings, with a 4-2 advantage. However, five of their eight all-time matchups have been decided by a mere four points or less. The Monarchs narrowly defeated the Chanticleers 61-59 in their most recent encounter on February 28th at the HTC Center.
Coastal will wrap up their road trip on Monday at Saint Joseph's before returning home on January 1st to kick off the new year against Georgia Southern.
Players to Watch:
- Rasheed Jones: Guard, Redshirt Sophomore, 6' 6"
- Jordan Battle: Guard, Junior, 6' 2"
- Joshua Beadle: Guard, Graduate Student, 6' 3"
- AJ Dancler: Guard, Junior, 6' 2"
Controversy & Comment Hooks:
Do you think Coastal Carolina's strong defense will be enough to overcome Old Dominion's home-court advantage? Considering the close history between these teams, could this game be another nail-biter? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
