Cremins: 'The President's coming'

After finding out they'd been kicked out of their hotel because of President Barack Obama's planned Christmas trip to Hawaii, the College of Charleston men's basketball team learned late Monday afternoon their original plans were back in place. The school was set to stay in the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort hotel with almost 800 rooms located on Waikiki Beach, during the ESPN Diamondhead Classic, scheduled Dec. 22-25.

But Monday morning the school received word they had been bumped from the hotel because of the Obama's Christmas plans.

"Yeah, we got kicked out of our hotel. The President's coming," College of Charleston basketball coach Bobby Cremins said. "I trust ESPN will take good care of us. Everybody's looking forward to that trip."

That put Kyle Robinson, the Cougars' director of basketball operations into scramble mode. Once ESPN let the Cougars know of their new plans, Robinson would have to make arrangements for meals and also meeting locations.

"It will be up to me to scramble and get everything organized," Robinson said. "The President has family in Hawaii. Evidently, that's one of the nicer hotels in Hawaii and he wanted to be there so we have to find another hotel."

Now, they're back at the Moana Surfrider, although in different rooms than originally planned. And their meetings will take place at a location across the street from the Moana Surfider.

The Cougars' first game in the tournament is against Hawaii and will tip off at 12:30 a.m. EST Dec. 23. The final session will be held Christmas Day.

-- Tommy Braswell