Cougars strengthen schedule

College of Charleston basketball coach Bobby Cremins isn't afraid to take on tough competition.

That was reaffirmed Friday when the Cougars released their 2008-09 schedule, which includes the season-opening ESPN-sponsored tournament at the Carolina First Center, as well as games against South Carolina, Winthrop and North Carolina.

"With the new arena, we need to go ahead and commit ourselves to a tough schedule," Cremins said. "People have to understand the strength of our schedule. Hopefully they appreciate it. You can get beat up playing a schedule like this, but I said when I came here that I was going to play a tough schedule and that's what I'm going to do."

The season kicks off with the Charleston Classic, the ESPN-sponsored tournament Nov. 14-16 that will showcase the newly constructed Carolina First Center. Clemson will be among the teams in the eight-team field.

Other highlights include a Nov. 28 home game with South Carolina, a Dec. 22 game at Winthrop and a Jan. 7 game at North Carolina.

The South Carolina game was originally scheduled for Nov. 17 as the opening game in the Carolina First Center, but had to be moved once the Cougars accepted ESPN's offer for the Charleston Classic. The Carolina First Center will be officially dedicated prior to the game with the Gamecocks.

"When this tournament came on, I couldn't turn it down for the city of Charleston," Cremins said. "But it threw me for a loop making the rest of the schedule work.

"I hate for our students that the South Carolina game is the day after Thanksgiving, but we've been trying to get this date for awhile. I had to just go with it. (South Carolina coach) Darrin Horn has been great."

Cremins said the Winthrop game fit into what he believes will be a natural rivalry.

Former Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall, now the head coach at Wichita State, accepted the head coaching job at Charleston in 2006, only to change his mind and return to Winthrop, paving the way for Cremins to become the Cougars' head coach.

Cremins made a similar reversal years before when he accepted the head coaching job at South Carolina, only to return to Georgia Tech.

"When I talked to Gregg about playing us, we were calling it the flip-flop game," Cremins said.

When it was suggested that perhaps flip-flops should be given to arriving patrons, Cremin said, "We actually talked about that."

Winthrop will play at Charleston in 2009-2010.

Charleston will play at North Carolina on Jan. 7, in a two-for-one arrangement.

The Tar Heels will play at Charleston in 2009-10, with the Cougars playing at North Carolina the following year.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams owns a home on the Isle of Palms.

"We play North Carolina and that's because of Roy Williams," Cremins said. "Roy loves the Lowcountry."

The 20-game conference schedule is highlighted by a Dec. 29 home game against Davidson and home-and-home games with The Citadel.

"Hopefully, this will be the last year of the 20-game conference schedule," Cremins said. "The coaches really don't like it."

Reach Charles Bennett at cbennett@postandcourier.com.