CONWAY, S.C. (March 20, 2019) – Howard University men's basketball team saw its 2018-19 campaign come to an end after a tough road loss at Coastal Carolina (CCU), 81-72, in the Roman College Basketball Invitational (CBI) Tournament First Round.
 
With the loss, HU saw its road winning streak stopped at eight games.
 
After holding a five-point halftime advantage, 36-31, Howard held its largest lead with more than 13 minutes remaining, thanks to a pair of freebies by second-year forward Zion Cousins (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 52-39.
 
"We had a good game plan," said Howard men's basketball head coach Kevin Nickelberry. "We forced them [Coastal Carolina] into taking tough shots while playing our tempo."
 
CCU fought their way back into the contest by crashing the boards and attacking the rim. Coastal Carolina outrebounded the Bison, 53-34, while scoring 30 points inside the paint.
 
Perhaps, the biggest blow came with more than 10 minutes left when sophomore RJ Cole (Union, N.J.) picked up his fourth personal foul; thus, forcing the Bison's floor general to the bench.
 
"Coastal Carolina did a great job rebounding," Nickelberry added. "But not only did we lose RJ's [Cole] leadership on the court, but he did a solid job in rebounding."
 
The New Jersey native returned to the court at the 6:21 mark, but CCU had the upper hand, in which they never relinquished.
 
Cole, 2018-19 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year, flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 14 points, 12 boards (career-high) and eight dimes.
 
Charles Williams (Richmond, Va.), 2018-19 All-MEAC First Team selection, ended his junior year with a team-high 17 points and five rebounds.
 
Sophomore Kyle Foster (Hampton, Va.) was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season where he registered 10 points in a losing effort.
 
Howard (17-17) played in their first postseason tournament since 1992, the same season they won the MEAC Title.
 
HU's 17-win mark is only the second time in the last 37 years that the Bison have won that many games.
 
"I'm grateful to coach a great group of young men," Nickelberry concluded. "To me, they're always going to be remembered as winners. They stayed together through adversity. The future is bright."
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.