WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a dramatic showdown at CareFirst Arena, the No. 3-seeded Charleston Cougars outlasted No. 6 Monmouth in a nail-biting 79-78 overtime victory on Sunday night, advancing to the semifinals of the Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
Charleston, the reigning two-time CAA champions, will now face No. 2 seed UNCW in a highly anticipated semifinal matchup on Monday at 8:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Monmouth concluded its season with a 13-20 record.
Clutch Performances Propel Charleston
Ante Brzovic led the charge for Charleston with 22 points, including a critical game-tying layup in the final 18 seconds of regulation. Derrin Boyd added 16 points, four of which came in overtime, while AJ Smith provided a major boost off the bench with 17 points. CJ Fulton also contributed 10 points to the Cougars’ effort.
Monmouth’s offensive firepower was spearheaded by Abdi Bashir, Jr., who drained six three-pointers on his way to a game-high 24 points. In doing so, Bashir set a new CAA record with 127 three-pointers in a single season. His backcourt partner, Jack Collins, chipped in with 15 points.
Back-and-Forth Battle from the Start
The first half was a tightly contested affair, featuring seven lead changes and six ties. Charleston jumped to an early 7-2 lead, but neither team was able to establish a significant advantage. Collins kept Monmouth within striking distance with three first-half triples, and his back-to-back threes brought the Hawks within one point, 32-31, late in the period. However, Smith’s strong play for Charleston, including a key layup at the 1:14 mark, helped the Cougars take a slim 34-33 edge into halftime.
Momentum Swings in a Thrilling Second Half
Charleston came out firing in the second half, scoring the first eight points to extend its lead to 44-35 with 17:27 remaining. Monmouth quickly responded with a 16-4 run, fueled by Bashir’s hot shooting, and took a 51-48 lead with 12:38 left.
From that point on, the game remained a one-possession battle. Monmouth’s Cornelius Robinson, Jr. gave his team a late edge with consecutive layups, making it 69-67. However, Boyd answered with a clutch three-pointer to put Charleston back in front. Bashir countered with another deep three to give Monmouth a 72-70 advantage with 42 seconds left, but Brzovic’s layup sent the game into overtime.
Overtime Heroics Seal the Win
Charleston took a 77-74 lead in the extra period after a key layup from Fulton. Monmouth’s Madison Durr cut the deficit to one with a layup, but Boyd calmly knocked down two free throws with 13.5 seconds left, giving Charleston just enough cushion. Monmouth managed one final basket as time expired, but the Cougars held on for the thrilling victory.
With the win, Charleston keeps its title hopes alive and looks ahead to a challenging semifinal matchup against UNCW. Basketball fans can expect another high-stakes battle as the Cougars aim to defend their CAA crown.
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