UNCW ready for tonight’s first place CAA showdown

HEMPSTEAD, NY (UNCW) — It’s been weeks in the making and the time has finally arrived for Colonial Athletic Association frontrunners UNCW and Hofstra to lock horns in a battle for sole possession of first place in the competitive 10-team circuit.

The Seahawks, 16-5 overall and 8-2 in the CAA, and the Pride, 16-6 and 8-2, tip off at 7 p.m. on Thursday night at the Mack Sports Complex, a 5,052-seat venue situated on Long Island. The contest is the first leg of a critical two-game swing through the Northeast for the Seahawks that concludes with a Saturday date at Northeastern.

“It’s just two teams on top of the conference playing,” reflected second-year UNCW Head Coach Kevin Keatts. “We don’t look at it as a first-place game…we look at it as the next game. We’re concentrating on playing the next game because there’s a lot of basketball left to be played. Hofstra is a great opponent and that’s all we’re thinking about.”

The CAA’s top two offensive clubs and several of the CAA’s top point producers will be on display in the first of two meetings down the stretch between the teams. UNCW leads the loop with 82.0 points per game with a scoring margin of +10.0. Hofstra ranks second in scoring at 80.1 points and a scoring margin of +6.2.

Keatts, the 2015 CAA Coach-of-the-Year, and his revamped club carry a seven-game winning streak into the weekend and have not lost in nearly a month since falling on the road to Towson on Jan. 7. Hofstra boasts a four-game streak of its own.

The surging Seahawks are coming off a 65-55 verdict over the College of Charleston last Saturday at Trask Coliseum. Junior guard Chris Flemmings poured in 25 points and UNCW scored 30 points off turnovers to stay hot in the annual Homecoming game at Trask Coliseum. Junior guard Denzel Ingram had 13 points and freshman guard C.J. Bryce contributed 10 for the Seahawks, who forced 18 turnovers and limited the Cougars to 35.3 percent shooting.

 Flemmings has emerged as one of the CAA’s newest stars and was named the conference’s Player-of-the-Week for the second time on Monday. The Cary, N.C., product averaged 24.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in the wins over JMU and Charleston, converting 16-of-30 field goals for 53.3 percent from the floor and making 10-of-12 at the free throw line for 83.3 percent.

 The Cary, N.C., product frequents the CAA’s statistical rankings. He ranks fourth in scoring (16.8), 11th in rebounding (6.4) and third in field goal percentage (.532). He’s paced the club in scoring in five of the last six contests and has led the Seahawks in scoring a team-leading 13 times this season.

“Chris just knows how to play,” said Keatts. “There’s nothing flash about him. He never gets too high and never gets too low. He gets in the gym and works very hard. He’s becoming a better defender and rebounder, and his success is a testament to the work he’s put in.”

UNCW and Hofstra each entered this week’s CollegeInside.com rankings. The Seahawks broke into the poll for the first time since the 2005-06 season at No. 22; the Pride is rated No. 24. St. Mary’s heads up the listing, followed by Wichita State, Valparaiso, Arkansas-Little Rock and Gonzaga.

 In its last appearance, Hofstra used a 17-3 run midway through the second half to escape with a 70-64 victory at Drexel last Saturday. Sophomore center Rokas Gustys racked up his eighth straight double-double and 12th of the season with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Senior guard Juan’ya Green, the CAA’s leading scorer, had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the Pride rallied from a 13-point deficit.

 In the last matchup between UNCW and Hofstra on Jan. 17, 2015, senior guard Addison Spruill capped a strong week by leading four players in double figures with 23 points as UNCW gained a split in the regular season series by knocking off the Pride, 79-74, in Hempstead. Senior guard Freddie Jackson added 21, freshman playmaker Jordon Talley had 17 and sophomore center C.J. Gettys chipped in 10 for the Seahawks, who scored 40 points in the paint. Ameen Tanksley had a team-high 19 points for the Pride.

The two teasms go head-to-head for the 33rd time since Hofstra joined the CAA during the 2001-02 campaign. The Pride leads the all-time series, 17-15. UNCW has four sweeps (2002, 2003, 2004, 2008), Hofstra has five (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014), and the two clubs have split five times (2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2015).

UNCW stands 6-8 against the Pride in Hempstead and 4-6 against Hofstra at the Mack Sports Complex over the last 10 games. The Seahawks are 1-4 vs. Hofstra skipper Joe Mihalich after losing all three games against the Pride’s mentor in his first season and splitting a pair of contests with the veteran coach in 2014-15.

All of UNCW’s games are carried live on the Seahawk Digital Network (SDN). Fans can visit UNCWsports.com, click the Live Events button, and select the game for a free audio feed of the contest. Seahawk basketball may also be heard over the radio airwaves on The Beach 94.1 FM/WLSG 1340 AM in Wilmington and New Hanover County and Freedom 97.1 FM/WSME 1120 AM in Jacksonville and Onslow County.