Imago
March 14, 2023: Bradley Braves guard Connor Hickman 10 drives in against Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl 22 during the NCAA, College League, USA basketball NIT First Round game between the Bradley Braves and the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI. /CSM Madison United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20230314_zaf_c04_192 Copyright: xDarrenxLeex
Imago
March 14, 2023: Bradley Braves guard Connor Hickman 10 drives in against Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl 22 during the NCAA, College League, USA basketball NIT First Round game between the Bradley Braves and the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center in Madison, WI. /CSM Madison United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20230314_zaf_c04_192 Copyright: xDarrenxLeex
The NCAA eligibility issue in College Basketball seems to be compounding with each case. Recent court rulings have favored the NCAA in lawsuits challenging its eligibility decisions. And the latest casualty is Connor Hickman and the Charleston Cougars.
The court ruled in the NCAA’s favor and dissolved the case, including the TRO that allowed Hickman to play 20 times for the Cougars so far this season. Basketball analyst Jeff Goodman reported that Hickman’s attorney, Mark Peper, has filed a motion to reconsider and stay the Court’s ruling.
However, Charleston Head Coach Chris Mack has voiced his opinion on the entire situation, highlighting the variance in the NCAA’s application of its own rules. Mack passionately reiterated that they had followed the process and that Connor Hickman was a casualty of poor advice last season at the Cincinnati Bearcats.
“This isn’t a situation where we were asking for an absurd 8th year, a 7th year. He just wants to have a really good senior year. And, for the NCAA to allow him to play, they have a waiver process, and then they have an appeal process. And I know the appeal process wasn’t followed the way it was supposed to.”
CofC’s Chris Mack on Connor Hickman’s NCAA eligibility situation.
“It’s horseshit, excuse my language”
On him staying with the team…
“Those are the types of guys you want to keep in college basketball. Not the guys who have signed professional contracts or are in their 8th… pic.twitter.com/U1FF7xe2c1
— Scott Eisberg (@SEisbergWCIV) February 13, 2026
Connor Hickman played 13 times for the Cincinnati Bearcats last season before being ruled out for the rest of his senior season with a broken foot. Charleston alleged and, as per Mack, provided documentation to prove that he had a broken foot after 8 games and played over the NCAA’s 10-game threshold based on poor advice at his former team.
This is the second victory for the NCAA in court after the Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako’s lawsuit against the governing body’s decision was dismissed.
What happened in the Connor Hickman case?
The Charleston Cougars had asked the NCAA’s permission for Connor Hickman to repeat his senior year through the Medical Hardship Waiver process, which the governing body had rejected. The NCAA process allows players to repeat a season curtailed through injury.
There is, however, a 10-game threshold for players, which means stars who play more than 10 games are usually not allowed to have a repeat year under the process. The 23-year-old obtained a TRO against the decision in court, pending a hearing. Hickman gained eligibility through the TRO in an effort to repeat his senior year.
The 23-year-old was having a steady senior campaign with the Charleston Cougars, averaging 11.7 points in 32.6 minutes played per game. However, with immediate effect, Hickman will not be able to represent Charleston in College Basketball. To have a player who was part of the team not be available going into March Madness is a difficult pill to swallow.
Head Coach Chris Mack has clarified that Hickman will continue to be a part of the program for the rest of the season, regardless of how the motion to stay and reconsider goes.