Columbia International vs Charleston Southern prediction: Charleston Southern opens its rebuild with 11 newcomers against NAIA Columbia International
With just 19.3% of last season's minutes back, the Buccaneers' low-stakes opener is really a first look at who Saah Nimley's new team is.
- Charleston Southern should control a Division I versus NAIA game at home; the open question is how its new pieces fit together.
- Watch Lase Olalere around the rim, a returning forward who shot 66.3% last season and blocked 1.5 shots a game.
- No spread or total is posted yet; the 13.1% of last season's points that returned makes last season's numbers a weak guide.
A roster built from scratch
Charleston Southern finished last season 15-17 and then lost its top seven scorers. Saah Nimley kept three players and added 11 newcomers, so the team that takes the floor at Buccaneer Fieldhouse on Thursday, Nov. 5, will be mostly unfamiliar, even to its own fans.
The returning group accounts for just 19.3% of last season's minutes and 13.1% of its points. The scoring that left is the story. A'lahn Sumler averaged 19.0 points, Brycen Blaine 17.2 and Jesse Hafemeister 12.7. Columbia International, an NAIA program, gives Nimley a low-pressure night to sort out who replaces them.
Will last season's style survive?
Last season's Buccaneers played fast and shot from deep. Their pace ranked 6th of 365 teams, and 51.5% of their shots were threes, 8th nationally. They also had glaring weaknesses: a 64.7% free throw mark that ranked 362nd, and a defense that forced turnovers on just 12.6% of possessions, 363rd.
With this much turnover, none of that is guaranteed to carry over. An early sign of Nimley's intentions will be whether the new roster keeps firing threes at that rate or plays through the frontcourt that came back.
The three who are back
Jacob Taylor is the most experienced returner. He made 24 starts and shot 36.1% from three in a low-usage role. Lase Olalere and Devin Brafford give the Buccaneers rim protection: Olalere blocked 1.5 shots a game and Brafford 1.1 in limited minutes. Both struggled at the line last season, Olalere at 44.4%.
The freshmen on the roster include Marquise Leslie and DJ Hubbard, but there is no word yet on whether either will start. Columbia International, listed under coach Tony Stockman, offers little public detail to scout.
Key players
- Jacob Taylor (Charleston Southern): Last season he played 20.9 minutes a game and shot 36.1% from three.
- Lase Olalere (Charleston Southern): Last season he shot 66.3% from the field and blocked 1.5 shots per game.
- Devin Brafford (Charleston Southern): Last season he blocked 1.1 shots in just 7.3 minutes a game.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 19.3% | Charleston Southern brings back less than a fifth of last season's minutes, so last season's team stats say little about this group. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's 3-point attempt rate | 51.5% | This ranked 8th nationally; whether the new roster keeps it up will define the offense. |
| Last season's free throw % | 64.7% | This ranked 362nd of 365 teams, and the returning bigs shot poorly at the line too. |
| Last season's pace | 73.6 | The Buccaneers averaged 73.6 possessions per 40 minutes, 6th fastest in Division I. |
Columbia International vs Charleston Southern: quick answers
When is Columbia International vs Charleston Southern?
Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.