Lady Seahawks Open With Win In Cancun

CANCUN - Sophomore Brittany Blackwell posted a game-high 18 points and added 11 rebounds to record her second double-double in as many contests and lead UNC Wilmington to a 53-48 victory over Fordham in the opening game of the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic Friday at Kuchil Baxal Gymnasium.

The Seahawks remained undefeated on the season as they improved to 4-0 and advanced to the championship game, where they will face the winner of the second contest between Ohio and South Carolina Saturday at 6 p.m. CST. The Rams, meanwhile, dropped to 2-3 on the season and will square off against the loser of the second game in the consolation contest at 4 p.m. CST Saturday.

Blackwell, who posted the eighth double-double of her career, was joined in double figures by senior Sahsha Taylor, who chipped in 17 points on the strength of an 11-of-13 performance from the free-throw line, including a perfect 8-for-8 effort from the charity stripe in the second half. Junior Greta Luksyte added eight points and a game-best four steals while junior Candace Walker pitched in seven points and a season-high seven rebounds.

Sophomores Megan Mahoney and Tiffany Stokes tallied 10 points apiece to lead the Rams attack. Stokes and senior Annie Zopf pulled down five rebounds each to lead Fordham's effort on the glass. Sophomore Kristina Bell dished out a game-high seven assists.

Trailing 40-35 with 10:14 on the clock, a jumper by Blackwell sparked a 15-2 run for the Seahawks that lasted gave UNCW a 50-42 lead with 30 seconds left on the clock. Blackwell and Taylor keyed the game-changing run, scoring six points apiece while Walker pitched in three.

A three-pointer from Zopf end the UNCW run and pulled the Rams within five, 50-45, before a pair of free throws by sophomore Sheronda McLean pushed the Seahawks cushion to seven, 52-45.

Fordham made one last push, as a three by sophomore Kyara Weekes in the closing seconds trimmed the Rams deficit to four, 52-48. Mclean closed out the scoring with a free-throw with four seconds on the clock as Fordham was unable to get a shot off in its final possession.

UNCW opened the contest on a 12-4 run before five unanswered points by the Rams midway through the frame pulled Fordham within three, 12-9.

The two teams traded baskets through the rest of the opening session as the Seahawks took a 25-19 advantage into the locker room.

UNCW held the lead into the early part of the second half, when a 5-0 spurt by Fordham gave the Rams its first lead of the game, 33-31, with 14:52 left on the clock.

The Seahawks tied the games moments later on a jumper by Blackwell, but the Rams scored seven of the next nine points to take its biggest lead of the game, 40-35, and setting up UNCW's game-changing run.

Notes: UNCW held an 18-4 advantage in points in the paint in the first half, while the Seahawks cushion on points in the paint was just two (18-16) in the second half ... Fordham's bench out-scored UNCW's reserves by a 25-0 margin ... UNCW recorded double-digit steals for the third time this season ... Blackwell has now reached double-figures in scoring in 20 straight contests ... Four players (Taylor, Blackwell, Walker and McLean) attempted all of UNCW's 26 free-throw attempts in the contest ... The Seahawks have held their opponents to 30 points or less in each of the last seven halves played ... UNCW held a 39-33 advantage on the glass. -Courtesy UNCW Sports Information

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT