The College of Charleston men’s basketball team will host North Carolina A&T on Thursday, February 5 at TD Arena. The Cougars currently hold a 15-8 overall record and are 8-2 in conference play, while the Aggies stand at 9-12 and 2-8 in conference games. This matchup marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Charleston has a strong history against North Carolina A&T, holding a 5-1 all-time record and having won five consecutive games since their first meeting in 1993. The Cougars enter the game following an 89-84 win over Northeastern in Boston. In that game, Jlynn Counter scored all of Charleston’s final 13 points during a decisive run to secure the victory. The team also recorded its lowest turnover count of the season with five.
Head coach Chris Mack’s program has shown resilience this year, securing their fifth win when trailing at halftime and remaining undefeated (7-0) in games decided by five points or fewer.
Jlynn Counter recently received his third CAA Player of the Week award after averaging 25 points, 6.5 rebounds, and eight assists per game during wins over Hofstra and Northeastern. He leads the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) with 119 assists this season and is tied for eighteenth in school history for free throws made in a single season with 108. Counter heads a lineup where all starters—Counter, Connor Hickman, Martin Kalu, Colby Duggan, and Christian Reeves—are averaging double-digit scoring.
Charleston ranks among national leaders in several statistical categories: they are twenty-seventh nationally in both free throw attempts per game (25.4) and makes per game (18.6), thirty-seventh in defensive rebounds per game (27.39), and lead the CAA in total rebounds during conference play.
Redshirt sophomore Chol Machot stands out defensively as he is third nationally with sixty-one total blocks and fourth with an average of 2.65 blocks per game; he has recorded four or more blocks on eight occasions this season.
In recognition of Black History Month, College of Charleston Athletics will honor former player Jermel President as the “2026 Cougar Trailblazer.” President founded the DAE Foundation to educate student-athletes through basketball programs aimed at developing responsible citizens.
Thursday’s event will also feature “Greek Night,” inviting Greek life students to attend; the first five hundred students present will receive limited edition Charleston sunglasses.
Game day procedures include doors opening ninety minutes before tip-off, early access to concessions, adherence to a clear bag policy for attendees’ belongings (full details available on the official athletics website), ADA drop-off along Meeting Street next to TD Arena, new walk-through magnetometers for security screening upon entry at Meeting Street entrance starting November 3rd (as outlined on the policy page), updated alcohol sales regulations requiring valid horizontal IDs scanned by Aramark staff at concession stands—with no more than two alcoholic beverages sold per transaction—and ticket scanning via mobile wallets encouraged for smoother entry.
Fans can watch Thursday’s contest live on FloCollege or listen via Varsity App with commentary from Everett German and Danny Johnson; additionally, it will be streamed for free on FloCollege YouTube.
For ongoing updates about Charleston men’s basketball throughout the season, fans are encouraged to follow @CofCBasketball on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram (@CofCBasketball).
