In Washington, Charleston emerged victorious in a nail-biting game against Monmouth, securing a 79-78 win in overtime during the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament quarterfinal on Sunday night. Ante Brzovic was a standout player, contributing 22 points, while Derrin Boyd added four of his 16 points during the critical overtime period to clinch the win.
Next up for the third-seeded Cougars (24-8) is a semifinal matchup against No. 2 seed UNC Wilmington on Monday. The other semifinal will feature top-seeded Towson against No. 12 seed Delaware, promising an exciting continuation of the tournament.
Charleston took a narrow 34-33 lead into halftime, largely thanks to AJ Smith’s 12 points in the first half. Brzovic had a stellar second half, scoring 18 points, including a crucial layup with just 17 seconds remaining to tie the game at 72 and force overtime. In the extra period, Boyd’s two successful free throws with 13 seconds on the clock put Charleston ahead by three points. Monmouth attempted to close the gap with Jaret Valencia’s last-second layup, but it fell just short.
Brzovic also contributed significantly on defense, collecting eight rebounds. Smith continued his strong performance with a total of 17 points for the Cougars. On the other side, the sixth-seeded Hawks (13-20) were led by Abdi Bashir Jr., who delivered 24 points and four assists. Jack Collins supported with 15 points and six rebounds, while Cornelius Robinson Jr. added nine points, nine rebounds, and four assists.
