CONWAY, S.C. — Coastal Carolina returns home for the first time in 31 days Thursday, welcoming Georgia Southern to the HTC Center for its Sun Belt Conference home opener at 1 p.m.

The Chanticleers (8-6, 1-1 Sun Belt) last played at home Nov. 30, earning a 67–60 win over Alabama A&M. Coastal enters the New Year following a 10-day break after closing non-conference play with back-to-back road victories at Old Dominion and Saint Joseph's. Coastal's most recent outing came Dec. 22, when the Chanticleers erased an early 10-point deficit to defeat Saint Joseph's, 68–62, in Philadelphia.

Georgia Southern also returns to action following an extended layoff. The Eagles have been off since Dec. 20 after a 96–92 overtime win over James Madison and enter Thursday's match-up riding a seven-game winning streak. Georgia Southern is 10–5 overall and 2–0 in Sun Belt play with home victories over Georgia State and James Madison.

Thursday's contest features a match-up of contrasting styles. Coastal ranks among the Sun Belt's top defensive teams, allowing just 70.7 points per game — one of five conference teams yielding fewer than 71 points per contest. The Chanticleers lead the Sun Belt in field-goal percentage defense (.378), defensive rebounds per game (31.5) and total rebounds per game (41.6), while ranking second in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (29.1).

Georgia Southern counters with one of the league's most productive offenses. The Eagles lead the Sun Belt in 3-pointers made (9.9) and attempted (29.7) per game and rank second in the conference in scoring at 84.0 points per game, while also leading the league in total points scored this season (1,260). Georgia Southern has four players averaging double figures, led by Spudd Webb (16.4 points per game), with Tyren Moore ranking second in the Sun Belt in both 3-point percentage (.387) and 3-pointers made per game (2.7).

Coastal will play on New Year's Day for just the third time in program history and is seeking its second victory on the holiday. The Chanticleers defeated Georgia State at home on Jan. 1, 2021, before falling to Louisiana a year later at the HTC Center.

The teams have split each of the past four meetings in Conway. Georgia Southern claimed an 88–87 overtime victory at the HTC Center last season after Coastal closed regulation on a 10–1 run to force overtime. The Eagles also earned an 85–58 win in Statesboro in last season's meeting.

Thursday's game opens a four-game homestand for Coastal, which will play six of its next eight games at the HTC Center after opening the season with 11 of its first 14 contests away from Conway.