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Charleston rides Larson to CAA title over UNC Wilmington

AP
Mar 07, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) Ryan Larson scored 23 points and his effort at both of ends of the floor late helped send Charleston past upset-minded UNC Wilmington 63-58 on Tuesday night in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament championship and clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

It's Charleston's first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2018 and sixth overall.

Larson, a 6-foot-1 senior, scored 15 points after halftime, making 4 of 7 from 3-point range after missing his first two 3s before the break. He came up with all four of his steals after halftime, too.

Larson had pair of steals - one of which led to a breakaway layup - and banked in a 3-pointer with the Cougars (31-3) in the midst of a late 12-0 run they used to secure the win.

“I'm just so proud of this team,” said Larson, who transferred from Wofford where he played from 2018-22. “Everyone doubted us all year and we kept proving them wrong; kept winning games. Total team effort today.”

Ante Brzovic scored 16 points for Charleston which currently has the highest win total in Division I-play this season.

UNC Wilmington led 27-24 at intermission before Charleston outscored the Seawolves 18-7 over the first 5:53 of the second half for a 42-34 lead. The Seawolves countered with 15-0 run with Trazarien White scoring eight and Amari Kelly six and UNCW led 49-42 with 9:52 left. Charleston took the lead for good on Larson's breakaway layup off the steal for a 55-53 lead with 3:33 left and the Seawolves went into an almost four-minute scoring drought.

The Cougars entered the tournament as the second seed against fourth-seed UNCW (24-10), which was coming off an overtime win the night before against top-seeded Hofstra.

Kelly and White each scored 16 points for the Seawolves.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
UNCW
Seahawks
27
CHAR
Cougars
24

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Amari Kelly vs. Ante Brzovic (Trazarien White gains possession)
19:29		Amari Kelly misses two point jump shot
19:27		Maleeck Harden-Hayes offensive rebound
19:24	+2	Maleeck Harden-Hayes makes two point layup	2-0
18:57		Reyne Smith misses three point stepback jump shot
18:55		Seahawks defensive rebound
18:40		Shykeim Phillips misses two point pullup jump shot
18:38		Jaylon Scott defensive rebound
18:33		Ryan Larson misses two point layup
18:31		Amari Kelly defensive rebound
18:16		Donovan Newby misses two point driving layup
18:14		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
18:04		Amari Kelly blocks Ante Brzovic's two point layup
18:02		Ryan Larson offensive rebound
18:01		Shykeim Phillips personal foul (Ryan Larson draws the foul)
17:45		Reyne Smith misses two point turnaround jump shot
17:43		Ryan Larson offensive rebound
17:35	+2	Ryan Larson makes two point layup (Jaylon Scott assists)	2-2
17:13		Amari Kelly misses two point layup
17:11		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
17:07		Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
17:04		Jaylon Scott offensive rebound
17:04		Donovan Newby personal foul (Jaylon Scott draws the foul)
17:00	+2	Ante Brzovic makes two point layup	2-4
16:41		Trazarien White misses two point jump shot
16:39		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
16:35		Donovan Newby misses three point jump shot
16:33		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
16:28	+2	Amari Kelly makes two point layup	4-4
16:14	+2	Pat Robinson III makes two point layup	4-6
15:50		Trazarien White turnover (lost ball)
15:50		TV timeout
15:38		Pat Robinson III misses three point jump shot
15:36		Ryan Larson offensive rebound
15:30	+2	Ryan Larson makes two point layup	4-8
15:14		Nick Farrar turnover (lost ball)
15:04		Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
15:02		Trazarien White defensive rebound
14:48		Pat Robinson III personal foul
14:31	+3	Trazarien White makes three point jump shot (Noah Ross assists)	7-8
14:15		Babacar Faye turnover (traveling)
14:02		Babacar Faye blocks Donovan Newby's two point driving layup
14:00		Seahawks offensive rebound
13:56	+2	Donovan Newby makes two point driving layup	9-8
13:40		Pat Robinson III misses three point jump shot
13:38		Donovan Newby defensive rebound
13:18	+2	Jamarii Thomas makes two point driving layup	11-8
12:57	+3	Raekwon Horton makes three point jump shot (Ante Brzovic assists)	11-11
12:28		Noah Ross misses three point jump shot
12:26		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
12:25		Ante Brzovic personal foul (Amari Kelly draws the foul)
12:22	+2	Amari Kelly makes two point hook shot	13-11
12:04		Raekwon Horton misses three point jump shot
12:02		Maleeck Harden-Hayes defensive rebound
11:54		Shykeim Phillips misses two point layup
11:52		Seahawks offensive rebound
11:52		TV timeout
11:52		Seahawks turnover (5-second violation)
11:34		Ryan Larson misses three point jump shot
11:31		Seahawks defensive rebound
11:04		Shykeim Phillips misses two point jump shot
11:02		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
10:41		Dalton Bolon misses two point floating jump shot
10:39		Trazarien White defensive rebound
10:24		Donovan Newby turnover (lost ball) (Dalton Bolon steals)
10:16		Ante Brzovic misses three point jump shot
10:14		Jaylon Scott offensive rebound
10:13		Jaylon Scott turnover (traveling)
9:51		Trazarien White misses three point jump shot
9:49		Reyne Smith defensive rebound
9:38		Dalton Bolon misses two point jump shot
9:36		Trazarien White defensive rebound
9:21		Trazarien White turnover (traveling)
9:01		Ryan Larson turnover (bad pass) (Shykeim Phillips steals)
8:57		Reyne Smith shooting foul (Shykeim Phillips draws the foul)
8:57	+1	Shykeim Phillips makes regular free throw 1 of 2	14-11
8:57	+1	Shykeim Phillips makes regular free throw 2 of 2	15-11
8:43		Maleeck Harden-Hayes shooting foul (Pat Robinson III draws the foul)
8:43	+1	Pat Robinson III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	15-12
8:43		Pat Robinson III misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:43		Trazarien White defensive rebound
8:30		Jamarii Thomas turnover (lost ball) (Reyne Smith steals)
8:24	+2	Ryan Larson makes two point layup	15-14
7:59	+2	Nick Farrar makes two point layup (Trazarien White assists)	17-14
7:42	+3	Reyne Smith makes three point jump shot (Babacar Faye assists)	17-17
7:10	+2	Shykeim Phillips makes two point pullup jump shot (Jamarii Thomas assists)	19-17
6:57		Ryan Larson turnover (lost ball) (Shykeim Phillips steals)
6:52	+2	Shykeim Phillips makes two point layup (Trazarien White assists)	21-17
6:42		Nick Farrar blocks Pat Robinson III's two point layup
6:40		Cougars offensive rebound
6:39		TV timeout
6:23		Ante Brzovic turnover (lost ball) (Amari Kelly steals)
6:03		Shykeim Phillips turnover (bad pass)
5:41	+2	Ante Brzovic makes two point layup	21-19
5:21		Amari Kelly misses two point hook shot
5:19		Raekwon Horton defensive rebound
5:15		Jamahri Harvey personal foul
5:05		Pat Robinson III turnover (out of bounds)
4:40		Trazarien White misses two point stepback jump shot
4:38		Pat Robinson III defensive rebound
4:28	+2	Pat Robinson III makes two point driving layup	21-21
4:28		Shykeim Phillips shooting foul (Pat Robinson III draws the foul)
4:28	+1	Pat Robinson III makes regular free throw 1 of 1	21-22
4:13		Amari Kelly misses two point layup
4:11		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
4:05		Ante Brzovic misses three point jump shot
4:03		Pat Robinson III offensive rebound
3:58		Trazarien White shooting foul (Pat Robinson III draws the foul)
3:58		TV timeout
3:58		Pat Robinson III misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:58		Pat Robinson III misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:58		Trazarien White defensive rebound
3:38	+2	Jamarii Thomas makes two point cutting layup (Trazarien White assists)	23-22
3:17		Dalton Bolon misses three point jump shot
3:06		Jamarii Thomas misses two point layup
3:04		Dalton Bolon defensive rebound
2:48		Pat Robinson III misses two point jump shot
2:46		Amari Kelly defensive rebound
2:37		Jaylon Scott personal foul (Trazarien White draws the foul)
2:32	+2	Donovan Newby makes two point floating jump shot	25-22
2:12		Ben Burnham misses three point jump shot
2:10		Jamarii Thomas defensive rebound
1:46		Trazarien White misses two point jump shot
1:44		Ben Burnham defensive rebound
1:22		Ryan Larson misses three point jump shot
1:20		Maleeck Harden-Hayes defensive rebound
1:20		Jump ball. (Seahawks gains possession)
0:52	+2	Maleeck Harden-Hayes makes two point layup (Nick Farrar assists)	27-22
0:34	+2	Ryan Larson makes two point layup (Raekwon Horton assists)	27-24
0:25		Seahawks 30 second timeout
0:03		Nick Farrar misses three point jump shot
0:01		Babacar Faye defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
UNCW
Seahawks
31
CHAR
Cougars
39

Time		Play	Score
19:46	+3	Ryan Larson makes three point jump shot (Dalton Bolon assists)	27-27
19:33		Donovan Newby turnover (bad pass) (Ryan Larson steals)
19:26		Amari Kelly blocks Dalton Bolon's two point layup
19:24		Cougars offensive rebound
19:21		Maleeck Harden-Hayes shooting foul (Ante Brzovic draws the foul)
19:21	+1	Ante Brzovic makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-28
19:21	+1	Ante Brzovic makes regular free throw 2 of 2	27-29
18:57	+2	Amari Kelly makes two point layup	29-29
18:45		Trazarien White shooting foul (Ante Brzovic draws the foul)
18:45	+1	Ante Brzovic makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-30
18:45	+1	Ante Brzovic makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-31
18:26		Shykeim Phillips turnover (lost ball) (Dalton Bolon steals)
18:19		Dalton Bolon turnover (lost ball) (Shykeim Phillips steals)
17:59		Maleeck Harden-Hayes misses three point jump shot
17:57		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
17:40	+2	Ante Brzovic makes two point layup	29-33
17:27		Seahawks 30 second timeout
17:27		TV timeout
17:03		Amari Kelly misses two point jump shot
17:01		Jaylon Scott defensive rebound
16:52		Ryan Larson misses three point jump shot
16:50		Ante Brzovic offensive rebound
16:49	+2	Ante Brzovic makes two point layup	29-35
16:49		Amari Kelly shooting foul (Ante Brzovic draws the foul)
16:49		Ante Brzovic misses regular free throw 1 of 1
16:49		Donovan Newby defensive rebound
16:30		Amari Kelly misses three point jump shot
16:28		Maleeck Harden-Hayes offensive rebound
16:28	+2	Maleeck Harden-Hayes makes two point tip layup	31-35
16:03	+3	Ryan Larson makes three point jump shot (Ante Brzovic assists)	31-38
15:41		Donovan Newby misses two point jump shot
15:39		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
15:31		Amari Kelly blocks Ante Brzovic's two point jump shot
15:29		Trazarien White defensive rebound
15:07		Ante Brzovic personal foul
15:07		TV timeout
15:01		Nick Farrar turnover (lost ball) (Pat Robinson III steals)
14:46		Maleeck Harden-Hayes shooting foul (Babacar Faye draws the foul)
14:46	+1	Babacar Faye makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-39
14:46	+1	Babacar Faye makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-40
14:37		Ben Burnham personal foul
14:24	+2	Trazarien White makes two point jump shot	33-40
14:24		Ben Burnham shooting foul (Trazarien White draws the foul)
14:24	+1	Trazarien White makes regular free throw 1 of 1	34-40
14:07		Trazarien White shooting foul (Babacar Faye draws the foul)
14:07	+1	Babacar Faye makes regular free throw 1 of 2	34-41
14:07	+1	Babacar Faye makes regular free throw 2 of 2	34-42
13:53		Jamarii Thomas offensive foul (Ryan Larson draws the foul)
13:53		Jamarii Thomas turnover (offensive foul)
13:42		Ryan Larson misses three point stepback jump shot
13:40		Ben Burnham offensive rebound
13:35		Raekwon Horton misses three point jump shot
13:33		Shykeim Phillips defensive rebound
13:29		Ryan Larson shooting foul (Shykeim Phillips draws the foul)
13:29		Shykeim Phillips misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:29	+1	Shykeim Phillips makes regular free throw 2 of 2	35-42
13:11		Ante Brzovic turnover (lost ball) (Noah Ross steals)
13:11		Jump ball. (Seahawks gains possession)
12:48		Donovan Newby misses three point jump shot
12:46		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
12:42	+2	Amari Kelly makes two point layup	37-42
12:42		Ante Brzovic shooting foul (Amari Kelly draws the foul)
12:42	+1	Amari Kelly makes regular free throw 1 of 1	38-42
12:25		Babacar Faye offensive foul
12:25		Babacar Faye turnover (offensive foul)
12:11	+2	Trazarien White makes two point layup (Amari Kelly assists)	40-42
12:11		Raekwon Horton shooting foul (Trazarien White draws the foul)
12:11	+1	Trazarien White makes regular free throw 1 of 1	41-42
11:57		Ryan Larson turnover (lost ball)
11:57		TV timeout
11:28		Donovan Newby misses two point layup
11:26		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
11:26		Reyne Smith personal foul (Amari Kelly draws the foul)
11:26	+1	Amari Kelly makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-42
11:26		Amari Kelly misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:26		Reyne Smith defensive rebound
11:11		Reyne Smith misses three point jump shot
11:09		Jaylon Scott offensive rebound
11:04		Jump ball. (Cougars gains possession)
10:55		Dalton Bolon turnover (double dribble)
10:45		Ben Burnham personal foul
10:45	+1	Trazarien White makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-42
10:45	+1	Trazarien White makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-42
10:33		Ryan Larson misses two point jump shot
10:31		Noah Ross defensive rebound
10:16	+3	Trazarien White makes three point jump shot (Donovan Newby assists)	47-42
10:09		Dalton Bolon misses three point jump shot
10:06		Seahawks defensive rebound
9:51	+2	Amari Kelly makes two point layup (Donovan Newby assists)	49-42
9:43		Cougars 30 second timeout
9:19	+3	Ryan Larson makes three point bank jump shot	49-45
8:46		Ante Brzovic blocks Donovan Newby's two point jump shot
8:44		Seahawks turnover (shot clock violation)
8:23		Amari Kelly blocks Pat Robinson III's two point layup
8:21		Donovan Newby defensive rebound
7:57		Trazarien White misses three point jump shot
7:55		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
7:39	+2	Amari Kelly makes two point layup (Donovan Newby assists)	51-45
7:39		Reyne Smith shooting foul (Amari Kelly draws the foul)
7:39		TV timeout
7:39	+1	Amari Kelly makes regular free throw 1 of 1	52-45
7:24		Pat Robinson III misses three point jump shot
7:22		Seahawks defensive rebound
7:04		Amari Kelly turnover (lost ball) (Dalton Bolon steals)
6:45		Dalton Bolon misses three point jump shot
6:43		Shykeim Phillips defensive rebound
6:13		Ryan Larson shooting foul (Amari Kelly draws the foul)
6:13		Amari Kelly misses regular free throw 1 of 2
6:13	+1	Amari Kelly makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-45
6:04		Donovan Newby personal foul
6:04	+1	Reyne Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-46
6:04	+1	Reyne Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-47
5:44		Noah Ross misses three point jump shot
5:42		Reyne Smith defensive rebound
5:31	+2	Jaylon Scott makes two point layup	53-49
5:03		Donovan Newby misses two point layup
5:01		Jaylon Scott defensive rebound
4:52	+3	Ryan Larson makes three point jump shot (Ante Brzovic assists)	53-52
4:28		Amari Kelly turnover (lost ball) (Ryan Larson steals)
4:25		Donovan Newby personal foul
4:25	+1	Ryan Larson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	53-53
4:25		Ryan Larson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:25		Nick Farrar defensive rebound
4:09		Ante Brzovic blocks Trazarien White's two point layup
4:07		Seahawks offensive rebound
4:03		Jaylon Scott blocks Shykeim Phillips's two point layup
4:01		Ante Brzovic defensive rebound
3:47		Jaylon Scott offensive foul
3:47		Jaylon Scott turnover (offensive foul)
3:47		TV timeout
3:37		Donovan Newby turnover (bad pass) (Ryan Larson steals)
3:30	+2	Ryan Larson makes two point layup	53-55
3:11		Trazarien White turnover (bad pass) (Ante Brzovic steals)
2:55	+2	Jaylon Scott makes two point layup (Ryan Larson assists)	53-57
2:46		Seahawks 30 second timeout
2:35	+3	Donovan Newby makes three point jump shot (Nick Farrar assists)	56-57
2:06		Ryan Larson misses three point stepback jump shot
2:04		Shykeim Phillips defensive rebound
1:42		Nick Farrar turnover (lost ball) (Ryan Larson steals)
1:18	+2	Ante Brzovic makes two point jump shot	56-59
1:00		Ben Burnham blocks Shykeim Phillips's two point layup
0:58		Cougars defensive rebound
0:29	+2	Ante Brzovic makes two point jump shot	56-61
0:18	+2	Trazarien White makes two point driving layup	58-61
0:18		Cougars 30 second timeout
0:12		Shykeim Phillips personal foul
0:12	+1	Reyne Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-62
0:12	+1	Reyne Smith makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-63
0:08		Donovan Newby misses three point jump shot
0:06		Amari Kelly offensive rebound
0:03		Shykeim Phillips misses three point jump shot
0:00		Cougars defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Cougars defensive rebound