CofC set to play in 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The College of Charleston men’s basketball team will participate in the 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational November 16, 17 and 19 at the HTC Center on the campus of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. All games will be televised across the ESPN platforms.

The field will feature four schools that participated in the post-season last March after finishing atop their conference’s regular-season standings - the College of Charleston (Colonial), Furman (Southern), Liberty (Atlantic Sun) and Vermont (American East).

The Cougars won the Charleston Classic a season ago and will look to make it two consecutive seasons with an ESPN MTE trophy.

Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) is the third school from South Carolina while other participants include Saint Louis (Atlantic 10), Wichita State (American) and Wyoming (Mountain West).

After winning post-season conference tournaments, College of Charleston, Furman and Vermont competed in the NCAA Championships. Liberty participated in the National Invitational Tournament after losing its league finale at Kennesaw State 67-66.

Both College of Charleston and Furman lost to Final Four participant San Diego State in the opening rounds of the NCAA’s South Regional in Orlando. Before meeting the Aztecs, Furman upset fourth-seeded Virginia in the first round.

Vermont saw its 15-game winning streak snapped in the first-round of the NCAAs as the Catamounts lost to second-seeded Marquette in Columbus. Liberty rebounded from its setback to Kennesaw State in its conference post-season finale by defeating Villanova in the NIT opener before losing to Wisconsin in Madison.

Host Coastal Carolina will be making its second appearance in the Myrtle Beach Invitational after placing fourth in the 2019 event where the Chanticleers upset Utah in the opening round before losing to Baylor and Mississippi State. Coastal Carolina coach Cliff Ellis enters the 2023-2024 season as the 14th winningest 4-year college coach all-time with 828 victories in 45 seasons. Ellis also won 72 games in three seasons as a junior college coach.