Cougars set to join UConn in Bahamas

The College of Charleston men's basketball team will be competing in the same field as national champion Connecticut in the Bahamas next Thanksgiving as part of the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis. Other participants include Florida State, Harvard, Utah, Massachusetts, Central Florida and UNC Asheville.

College of Charleston coach Bobby Cremins confirmed that the Cougars will be playing in the Bahamas but said the team has not finalized its 2011-12 schedule.

"We're very excited about playing in this tournament. It is really good competition and we learn so much about our team," Cremins said. "We love going to the islands, and our fans love it."

The Battle 4 Atlantis, scheduled Nov. 23-27, is being played at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas, where a large ballroom that was used as the site of the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant will be converted into a 4,500-seat arena. A second ballroom will be converted into a practice facility.

A doubleheader was played at the Atlantis Resort last December featuring Virginia Tech, Richmond, Georgia Tech and Mississippi State.

The Battle 4 Atlantis has received "exempt tournament" status from the NCAA, meaning schools can only participate in the same event once every four years. The Charleston Classic, which is played each year at the Cougars' Carolina First Arena, also enjoys that status, and the Cougars will be eligible to participate again in 2012.

The Cougars went 26-11 this past season and advanced to the third round of the National Invitation Tournament before losing to eventual champion Wichita State.

The College of Charleston originally was scheduled to compete in the 2011 Cancun (Mexico) Governor's Cup, but that event has been canceled.