MBB Kicks Off Season Hosting Georgia Southern on New Year’s Day Showdown

Coastal Carolina men’s basketball returns home on New Year’s Day to face Georgia Southern in their Sun Belt Conference home opener. The Chanticleers have been away from the HTC Center for 31 days and are eager to restart their conference slate against a strong Eagles team.

Coastal enters this game holding an 8-6 overall record with a 1-1 mark in conference play. Their last home game was on November 30, a 67-60 victory over Alabama A&M. Since then, Coastal wrapped up non-conference action with two important road wins at Old Dominion and Saint Joseph’s, the latter coming on December 22 where they overcame a 10-point deficit to win 68-62.

Contrasting Team Profiles

Georgia Southern has been on a break since December 20, after a tightly contested 96-92 overtime triumph against James Madison. The Eagles boast a 10-5 record overall and remain undefeated in Sun Belt games at 2-0, with home wins over Georgia State and James Madison that have extended their winning streak to seven games.

The matchup on Thursday highlights a classic contrast in playing styles. Coastal Carolina’s defense ranks among the strongest in the Sun Belt, surrendering just 70.7 points per game. They rank near the top in multiple defensive categories, including:

1. Field-goal percentage defense at 37.8% (the best in the conference)
2. Defensive rebounds per game at 31.5
3. Total rebounds per game at 41.6
4. Second-best in three-point field-goal percentage defense at 29.1%

In contrast, Georgia Southern’s offense is one of the Sun Belt’s most potent. The Eagles lead the league in three-pointers made (9.9) and attempted (29.7) per game and rank second in overall scoring with 84.0 points per game. Their ability to score is highlighted by four players averaging double-digit points, led by Spudd Webb’s 16.4 points per game. Another offensive threat is Tyren Moore, who stands second in the conference in three-point shooting percentage (.387) and three-pointers made per game (2.7).

Home-Court Dynamics and Historical Context

This game also marks only the third time Coastal plays on New Year’s Day in program history. The Chanticleers seek their second New Year’s victory after previously defeating Georgia State at home on January 1. However, they lost to Louisiana in the same venue the following year.

The series between these two teams has been tightly contested over the past four meetings held in Conway, with each team winning twice. Last season, Georgia Southern edged Coastal 88-87 in overtime after a late comeback. Additionally, the Eagles secured a decisive 85-58 win in Statesboro during their most recent matchup.

Thursday’s game will kick off a four-game home stretch for Coastal Carolina. After starting the season playing 11 of their first 14 games away from Conway, the Chanticleers will now play six of their next eight games at the HTC Center, offering a valuable opportunity to capitalize on home-court advantage.