NCAA Basketball: Ranking teams in 2019 Wooden Legacy Tournament

By Joey Loose | Jul 14, 2019

TUCSON, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 07: Head coach Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats talks with Ira Lee #11, Brandon Randolph #5 and Dylan Smith #3 during the second half of the NCAAB game against the Washington Huskies at McKale Center on February 07, 2019 in Tucson, Arizona. The Huskies defeated the Wildcats 67-60. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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SAN DIEGO, CA – MARCH 16: Grant Riller #1 of the Charleston Cougars looks to pass against Chuma Okeke #4 of the Auburn Tigers in the first half in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena on March 16, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

7. College of Charleston

It seems like forever ago that the Cougars took Auburn down to the wire in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Many of the faces have changed on Earl Grant’s team, though they did notch their third straight year with at least 24 wins last season. They’ll travel across the country to play in their first Wooden Legacy, but the event has landed the Colonial’s best program in recent years.

Standout forward Jarrell Brantley (19.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg) is gone, but Grant Riller (21.9 ppg) will be back for his senior season for the Cougars. They’ll add a number of intriguing freshmen, including local forwards DeAngelo Epps and Dontavius King. There’s a big hole to fill with the absence of Brantley down low, but there will be plenty of options for the Cougars going forward. This is another team that might need more than a month to gel with their new rotation, but this is going to be one of the favorites in the Colonial once more.

The Cougars begin the tournament with a winnable game against Wake Forest, though the entire Wooden Legacy will be a great early season test for this team. Riller scored 16 points when his Cougars nearly toppled Auburn a few years ago and they’ll need him to go off if they’re going to contend in this tournament. If Riller has another outstanding season and this team figures out its interior game, then the College of Charleston is going to be a dangerous mid-major threat in the Tournament once more.

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