MACOMB, Ill. — Coastal Carolina opens a demanding three-games-in-three-days stretch Friday when the Chanticleers visit Western Illinois in the opening game of the Leathernecks' MTE. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Coastal (2-2) will remain in Macomb to face North Dakota on Saturday before traveling to Normal, Ill., for a Sunday contest at Illinois State. Western Illinois (1–4) enters the weekend fresh off its first win of the season, a 74–63 victory over Coe College that snapped a four-game losing streak. The programs have met just once — a 69–60 Coastal overtime win at the 2008 Global Sports Classic.
The Chanticleers are coming off a 74–67 loss at Jacksonville State, a game in which they erased a 20-point deficit before falling in the final minutes. Jacksonville State opened with a 26–6 surge less than 13 minutes in, but Coastal rallied behind graduate guard
Joshua Beadle, who finished with 20 points. The Chanticleers closed the first half and opened the second on a 16–4 run to pull even at 40–40 and taking a 47-45 lead. The Gamecocks outscored the Chants 18-11 over the final six minutes.
Rasheed Jones added 14 points, six rebounds and three assists, while freshman
Tristan Thompson provided 12 points and seven boards off the bench. Coastal shot a season-best 94% (15 of 16) at the free-throw line and out-rebounded Jacksonville State 41–37.
Beadle has been a standout through four games, averaging a team-high 19.0 points and shooting 52.9 percent from the field. Transfers
AJ Dancler and
Reggie Hill, along with Thompson, have each produced multiple double-figure outings.
Jerry Ngopot is averaging more than six rebounds per game, and
Nadjrick Peat has totaled seven blocks.
Western Illinois, guided by third-year head coach Chad Boudreau, is two seasons removed from a 21-win campaign but returned only one player — guard Ifiok Peter — from last year's roster. The Leathernecks added 14 newcomers in the offseason as they look to rebuild after a 12–19 finish.
For complete coverage of CCU men's basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMBB (Instagram/Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
