Big CAA showdown at Trask; UNCW hosts Hofstra on Thursday

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — First place in the Colonial Athletic Association and the inside track to the league’s automatic berth to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) is on the table Thursday night when UNCW entertains explosive Hofstra in a critical conference game at Trask Coliseum.

The Seahawks, 21-6 overall and 13-3 in the CAA, are coming off a gritty 59-55 overtime verdict over the College of Charleston last Saturday at TD Arena. UNCW has won 12 of its last 13 games to climb within one game of matching the highest regular season win total in school history.

But the Pride and its wide-open, versatile offensive attack stand in the way.

Hofstra, 20-8 and 12-4, has reeled off four straight victories and Coach Joe Mihalich’s club enters the final week of the regular season on a high note following key wins over Northeastern and Towson last week.

“Hofstra is a very good basketball team,” said Kevin Keatts, who stands 39-20 in two seasons at UNCW, including a sparkling 21-3 at home. The Seahawks own the best home record in the circuit at 11-1, while the Pride stands 8-4 in road games.

“Joe has great players. They probably have the most complete starting five on the offensive end in the conference. Our first game was a tough one for us and we were fortunate to come back and have a chance to win at the end.”

That first matchup took place 21 days ago at the Mack Sports Complex on Long Island and turned out to be one of the more entertaining games in the conference this season. Hofstra bolted out to a 38-18 lead with 2:34 left in the first half before the Seahawks rallied down the stretch and won it on Denzel Ingram’s jumper with two seconds showing.

“We had one of our best defensive efforts in the second half,” Keatts recalled, “and that allowed us to come back. We just started defending. We left a lot of balls on the rim in the first half.”

The Seahawks can lock up first place with a win on Thursday. A loss forces a tie with the Pride for the top spot and the conference race will be decided on the final game of the regular season on Saturday.

Keatts said, “We don’t even talk about this game. We know we have a great opponent in Hofstra and another one in Towson. Like we have all season, we’re just taking it one game at a time. We know we have a big challenge because Hofstra is a great team. That’s all we’re focusing on.”

For those who enjoy high scoring games, Thursday is just what the doctor ordered. There will be plenty of offense on display as the UNCW-Hofstra pairing features the CAA’s two most explosive offenses and three of the league’s top eight scorers. UNCW (80.5 ppg) and Hofstra (79.9 ppg) rank 1-2 in the CAA in scoring. Juan’ya Green (17.7|3rd), Chris Flemmings (16.4 ppg|7th) and Ameen Tanksley (15.7|15.7 ppg) promise plenty of excitement between the lines.

The UNCW-Hofstra matchup also showcases two of the CAA’s best at finishing around the basket. Sophomore center Rokas Gustys of Hofstra leads the league with a 64.8 percent clip on 162-of-250 field goal attempts and UNCW’s Chris Flemmings checks in third at 51.9 percent on 148-of-285 from the floor.

The two teams lock horns for the 34th time since Hofstra joined the CAA from the America East in 2001-02. The Pride leads the all-time series, 17-16, and has won six of the last 10 meetings. The two teams split the series last season, with each club winning on the other’s home floor.

The Seahawks, who lead the CAA in home attendance, have protected their house well this season. UNCW can set a single-season record for home victories by defeating Hofstra and Towson in its final two contests at Trask Coliseum.

Seahawk senior Craig Ponder is slated to appear in his 125th career game, tying the Bluefield, W.Va., hoopster with all-time great Brett Blizzard, Chad Tomko and Cedrick Williams for the most games played in a Seahawk uniform.

The Seahawks remain at home to close out the regular season with a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday against Towson. It will be “Senior Day” and the final home appearance for Ponder, Kevin Hickson and Dylan Sherwood. The Tigers handed the Seahawks a 76-60 loss back on Jan. 7 at SECU Arena in Towson, Md.

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/video 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.

For more information on the Seahawks, like the team on Facebook (UNCW Men’s Basketball) or follow the team on Twitter (@UNCWMensHoops).