Preview: Charleston Southern at Presbyterian in Big South Clash

CLINTON, S.C. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the middle of the Big South Conference schedule will meet Wednesday when the Charleston Southern Buccaneers visit the Presbyterian Blue Hose at the Templeton Center.

Both teams enter with identical 1-3 records in league play and overall marks hovering around .500. Charleston Southern (11-9) has dropped three consecutive games, though all were tight, including two in overtime. Presbyterian (10-10) is coming off a dominant 92-55 road victory at Gardner-Webb this past Saturday, which snapped a two-game skid.

The matchup features two of the conference’s key performers. Charleston Southern guard A’lahn Sumler has been on a scoring tear, averaging 26.3 points over his last four games. He poured in a career-high 35 points in the Buccaneers’ 86-81 overtime loss to South Carolina Upstate on Jan. 14. His backcourt battle with Presbyterian’s Triston Wilson will be pivotal.

Wilson, coming off a 19-point, 6-assist performance in the rout of Gardner-Webb, provides steady playmaking for the Blue Hose. His scoring has fluctuated, but he tallied 23 points in a conference win over South Carolina Upstate earlier this month.

Charleston Southern’s recent struggles have been defined by narrow defeats, falling by two points to High Point and by four at Winthrop before the overtime loss to Upstate. The Buccaneers will need secondary scoring behind Sumler, as Brycen Blaine added 26 points in the last outing.

Presbyterian’s conference wins have come at home, defeating UNC Asheville 71-70 and South Carolina Upstate 86-77 in Clinton. The Blue Hose will look to continue that home-court advantage, with Jonah Pierce (20 points vs. Gardner-Webb) providing an interior presence.

The game is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 12 in Charleston, S.C. Following this contest, Charleston Southern visits Longwood on Saturday, while Presbyterian hosts Winthrop.