Coastal Carolina men’s basketball finished the 2026 season as third seed in the Sun Belt Conference with Marshall University, concluding their season 19-13 overall and nearly doubling last season’s win total.
The Chants, finishing tied for second place in league standings, attempted to secure a spot in the NCAA March Madness tournament but lost to No. 13 Georgia Southern on March 7. Their loss led to the season’s end at 11-17 in conference play and secured the third seed.
Guard AJ Dancler, who leads the team in rebounds per game (RPG) at 5.5, stated the team prepared for the upcoming season, knowing the challenges they’d face.
“Pre-season they had us ranked 13, and I think that put a chip on all our shoulders, but this past off-season coach did a really good job of just pushing us hard in the weight room. Practices were really good and organized. The coaches did a really good job laying the foundation so when it was game time everything just flowed together,” Dancler said.
Dancler said that with numerous close games this season, the team was always ready for high-pressure moments.
“Coach always preached to us to not shy away from the moment,” Dancler said. “At the end of the day, players make plays and the team that got the most points is going to win. A lot of those games we made those plays to win, and some of those games people would say we didn’t deserve to win, but at the end of the day we made the plays.”
Forward Rasheed Jones, who is ranked second on the team in scoring at 11.6 points per game, said that the Chants focused on team bonding, allowing them to create a well-rounded team on and off the court.
“In the off season we spent a lot of time together off the court and building bonds and that chemistry off the court. I feel like that got carried over onto the court, and I feel like it showed we were a very connected group all season,” Jones said. “Throughout the season, adversity comes and Coach would preach to us to stay together and find a way to get through it.”
Head coach Justin Gray said that throughout this process it’s the growth that matters most.
“Growth is what we were really looking for, and I feel throughout the entire season we’ve shown growth both on the defensive side of the basketball and the offensive side of the basketball, our culture, our game atmosphere. The wins went up as well, but it is a process, and we don’t always get what we want in times,” he said.
Gray also said that while performance improved, the foundation of the team was built by dedicated and constant work.
“I think that the work that is unseen is what I’m most proud of: the hours the guys put in, the dedication, the attention to detail, our coaching staff, the hours. We’ve been in here since the season ended trying to see how we can make it better for next season,” Gray said. “It’s just that constant pursuit of excellence is what we try to coach our guys up on, and our staff has done a great job of that as well.”
