Monday, November 2
Conway, S.C.
7:00 p.m.
Coastal Carolina University
vs
Eastern Michigan
11/1/2026 4:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina opens its 2026-27 men's basketball season Monday when it hosts Eastern Michigan at the HTC Center as part of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The game will air on ESPN+ and the Chanticleer Sports Network on WRXZ 107.1 FM.
The Chanticleers begin their third season under head coach Justin Gray after finishing 19-13 overall and 11-7 in Sun Belt Conference play last season. Coastal improved its win total by nine games, recorded its first winning season since 2021-22 and tied for second in the conference standings. The Chants earned the No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Championship after posting their most conference wins since joining the league.
Coastal returns three players — DaJohn Craig, Derrick Green and Tristan Thompson — and welcomes 12 newcomers, including eight transfers and four freshmen.
Craig averaged 4.5 points and made 35 3-pointers last season, while Thompson averaged 4.0 points and 4.2 rebounds. Both appeared in all 32 games. Green played in 31 contests, averaging 2.1 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 65.7 percent from the field.
Transfers Trey Perry and Darius Washington III led Coastal in its 76-72 exhibition win over Columbia International on Wednesday. Perry scored a game-high 27 points, while Washington added 17 off the bench.
Caleb Middleton finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Green also grabbed 10 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass. Coastal collected 19 offensive rebounds and scored 20 second-chance points.
Perry joined the Chants from Miami (Ohio), where he averaged 5.8 points as a freshman and helped the RedHawks reach the NCAA Tournament. Washington averaged 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds at Kennesaw State, another NCAA Tournament participant.
Eastern Michigan begins its first season under head coach Billy Donlon after finishing 10-21 overall and 4-14 in the Mid-American Conference last season. Donlon previously served as associate head coach at Clemson and has been a head coach at Wright State and Kansas City.
The Eagles were picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches poll. Mohammad Habhab earned preseason All-MAC first-team honors after averaging 14.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season.
Monday marks the second meeting between the programs and the first in Conway. Eastern Michigan won the only previous matchup, 76-58, on Nov. 29, 1991, at the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska.
Coastal is 2-2 in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, with both victories coming at the HTC Center. The Chants defeated Western Michigan in 2024 and UMass in triple overtime last season.
Following Monday's opener, Coastal travels to No. 2 Duke for an 8 p.m. game Thursday.
The game will air on ESPN+ and the Chanticleer Sports Network on WRXZ 107.1 FM.
The Chanticleers begin their third season under head coach Justin Gray after finishing 19-13 overall and 11-7 in Sun Belt Conference play last season. Coastal improved its win total by nine games, recorded its first winning season since 2021-22 and tied for second in the conference standings. The Chants earned the No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Championship after posting their most conference wins since joining the league.
Coastal returns three players — DaJohn Craig, Derrick Green and Tristan Thompson — and welcomes 12 newcomers, including eight transfers and four freshmen.
Craig averaged 4.5 points and made 35 3-pointers last season, while Thompson averaged 4.0 points and 4.2 rebounds. Both appeared in all 32 games. Green played in 31 contests, averaging 2.1 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 65.7 percent from the field.
Transfers Trey Perry and Darius Washington III led Coastal in its 76-72 exhibition win over Columbia International on Wednesday. Perry scored a game-high 27 points, while Washington added 17 off the bench.
Caleb Middleton finished with eight points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Green also grabbed 10 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass. Coastal collected 19 offensive rebounds and scored 20 second-chance points.
Perry joined the Chants from Miami (Ohio), where he averaged 5.8 points as a freshman and helped the RedHawks reach the NCAA Tournament. Washington averaged 5.3 points and 2.3 rebounds at Kennesaw State, another NCAA Tournament participant.
Eastern Michigan begins its first season under head coach Billy Donlon after finishing 10-21 overall and 4-14 in the Mid-American Conference last season. Donlon previously served as associate head coach at Clemson and has been a head coach at Wright State and Kansas City.
The Eagles were picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches poll. Mohammad Habhab earned preseason All-MAC first-team honors after averaging 14.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season.
Monday marks the second meeting between the programs and the first in Conway. Eastern Michigan won the only previous matchup, 76-58, on Nov. 29, 1991, at the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska.
Coastal is 2-2 in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge, with both victories coming at the HTC Center. The Chants defeated Western Michigan in 2024 and UMass in triple overtime last season.
Following Monday's opener, Coastal travels to No. 2 Duke for an 8 p.m. game Thursday.
Players Mentioned
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