A new head coach, 11 newcomers and a sold-out season-ticket allotment await Charleston Men's Basketball as the Cougars open the 2026-27 season with championship expectations and a completely different look.
Charleston hosts Southern Wesleyan on Monday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET, marking John Groce's first official game as the Cougars' head coach. The season opener streams live on FloCollege.
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Groce arrives after nine seasons at Akron, where he led the Zips to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Now, he inherits a Charleston program that has won 103 games over the past four seasons and is expected to compete near the top of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).
The Cougars were picked second in the CAA preseason poll, behind UNC Wilmington, and enter Monday with four players earning preseason all-conference recognition.
Charleston Basketball Opens John Groce Era With Revamped Roster
Groce didn't arrive in Charleston alone.
The former Akron coach brought 11 newcomers into the program while retaining just four players from the 2025-26 roster, creating one of the conference's more intriguing teams entering opening night.
Among the biggest additions is graduate guard Tavari Johnson, who followed Groce from Akron after averaging 19.7 points and 5.0 assists per game last season. Johnson earned First Team All-MAC honors and was named the 2026 MAC Tournament MVP.
Sophomore guard Eli Ellis, a South Carolina transfer, also enters the season with considerable expectations after earning Preseason All-CAA First Team recognition.
Charleston also added Xavier Abreu from Northeastern, where he averaged 12.6 points per game and earned CAA All-Rookie honors. Northwestern transfer Max Green and returning guard Martin Kalu round out the Cougars' four preseason all-conference selections.
The retooled roster has already shown flashes of its potential. Charleston defeated The Citadel 69-59 and Furman 89-83 in exhibition play, with five Cougars scoring in double figures against Furman.
Monday offers the first regular-season look at whether Groce can turn that collection of talent into a CAA title contender.
Charleston vs. Southern Wesleyan: What To Know
Charleston's opening-night opponent is Southern Wesleyan, a Division II program competing in Conference Carolinas.
The Warriors finished 14-15 overall and 10-10 in conference play last season under head coach Joel Stites, who enters his third season leading the program.
Southern Wesleyan was picked ninth in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll, with returning guard Malachi Cooper among the players to watch.
The Cougars lead the all-time series 10-1 and haven't faced the Warriors since a 65-43 victory in December 1999.
TD Arena should provide a lively setting for Groce's debut. Charleston has sold out its men's basketball season-ticket allotment for the fourth consecutive season and enters Monday with a streak of 54 consecutive home sellouts.
How To Watch Charleston Basketball Today
- Matchup: Southern Wesleyan vs. College of Charleston
- Date: Monday, Nov. 2, 2026
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: TD Arena, Charleston, South Carolina
- Streaming: FloCollege and the FloSports app
Archived Footage On FloCollege
Replays from live FloCollege events will be available in the archive. For the 2026-27 season, replays are free to watch on the FloCollege website and app 24 hours after each event ends.
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