The Coastal Carolina men’s basketball team tipped off its 2025-26 season Thursday night with a win 121-44 against Virginia University of Lynchburg at the HTC Center.
CCU forward Nadjrick Peat won the opening tip, giving the Chanticleers the first possession. Center Jerry Ngopot scored the first basket, followed by consecutive 3-pointers from guards Joshua Beadle and AJ Dancler, quickly giving the Chants early momentum.
“We worked all summer. Crashing the glass and being aggressive is just what we do,” Ngopot said.
Coastal’s defense set the tone early, forcing multiple turnovers and limiting the Dragons’ looks at the basket.
A strong rejection by CCU forward Braeden MacVicar midway through the half fired up the crowd, and moments later, guard Tristan Thompson threw down a dunk off a lob from guard DaJohn Craig, stretching the lead even further.
The Chanticleers opened with a 15-0 run and later followed with a 13-2 stretch, leading 35-7 with just under six minutes left in the first half. Virginia-Lynchburg struggled from the perimeter, repeatedly missing three-point attempts against Coastal’s zone defense.
Thompson connected from the corner for another 3-pointer, and forward Derrick Green added points in the paint after the Dragons left the post open. Coastal extended their lead to 43-9 before a Dragons timeout.
CCU guard Reggie Hill provided one of the highlights of the half, driving into the lane, losing a shoe mid-play, and still converting the layup. Coastal went into halftime shooting 11-for-19 from three-point range, while holding the Dragons to 2-for-16 from deep.
The Chanticleers led 68–12 at the break, showing complete control on both ends of the floor.
Coastal came out with a second-half flair, staring with an alley-oop layup, assisted by guard Rasheed Jones finished by Peat. Beadle followed with a reverse layup.
Every player on the roster saw minutes, showcasing the team’s depth and dominance. The Chants broke the 100-point mark halfway through the second half.
“We had multiple players with double digits because we are a team who passes the ball. We trust all of our guys to hit the shots and do what they need to do with the ball,” Thompson said.
The Dragons found some rhythm in the second half, but their deficit was too large to overcome.
The second half saw many fouls on both sides. MacVicar was called for an over-the-back foul while going up for a rebound. Frustrated by the score, the Dragons committed frequent fouls.
Coastal completely dominated the floor in their home opener, leaving no room for the Dragons. The Chanticleers also broke a school record for the number of 3-pointers scored in a single game.
“We have a bunch of guys who can make a lot of shots. It’s the clean non-forced threes we want; you make shots when you’re open. We did a good job finding the right guy today,” head coach Justin Gray said.
With the 121-44 win, Coastal improved to a 1-1-0 record on the season. The Chants look to start a winning streak on Nov. 11, when they host Winthrop University at 7 p.m. at the HTC center.
Sarah • Nov 8, 2025 at 11:08 am
Where is the # of 3 pointers? Why would you include breaking the record in the title but not mention the exact number I want to know.