First look at basketball practice this season for UNCW men’s basketball

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW) — The UNCW Seahawks, who captured their first CAA title and NCAA berth in 10 seasons during a record-setting campaign in 2015-16, have 38 days to prepare for their exhibition debut vs. Mount Olive on Nov. 6. The regular season opener takes place five days later on Nov. 11.

“It’s an exciting time for all of us and we can’t wait to get started,” said two-time CAA Coach-of-the-Year Kevin Keatts, who piloted the Seahawks to a sparkling 25-8 scorecard last year. “We have some good senior leadership, but also have some new faces. Our players have worked extremely hard in the off-season and realize the expectations will be greater this season. We’re looking forward to the challenges that face us this season.”

The Seahawks, who finished with the highest Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) rating of all CAA schools at No. 52 one year ago, have featured a ramped-up offense and opportunistic defense in Keatts’ first two seasons in the Port City.

With four players averaging in double figures, UNCW led the CAA in scoring offense with 79.4 and scoring margin at 7.3 ppg. The Seahawks also topped the conference in steals (7.5 spg) and turnover margin (+3.7) in one of the most memorable seasons in school history.

Versatile senior Chris Flemmings, a 6-5 guard who made a big splash after transferring from NCAA Division II Barton, will be one of the team’s leaders and figures to be in the mix for CAA Player-of-the-Year honors following an impact season one year ago.

The Cary, N.C., product led the team in scoring (16.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg) and earned First-Team All-CAA honors as a walk-on – the first-ever player in the league to accomplish the feat. He didn’t slow down in March, capturing CAA Tournament Outstanding Player accolades and nearly leading the Seahawks to an upset over national power Duke in the NCAA Tournament.

Flemmings is just part of UNCW’s multi-dimensional backcourt. Also returning are feisty playmaker Jordon Talley, veteran combo guard Denzel Ingram and silky sophomore C.J. Bryce. Talley has played in 64 games over the last two seasons, averaging 8.6 points and 3.5 assists, while Ingram collected Third-Team All-CAA honors last year after transferring from UNC Charlotte. Bryce was one of the top rookies in the circuit and ranked third in the CAA among freshman scorers with 10.1 ppg and third in newcomer rebounding at 4.2 rpg.

The backcourt became even deeper over the summer. JaQuel Richmond, a transfer from Middle Tennessee State, is eligible and the mercurial guard will add even more depth for the Seahawks.

With the loss of post player C.J. Gettys and reserve forward Dylan Sherwood, Keatts must fill some holes in the frontcourt. Senior forward Chuck Ogbodo (3.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg), junior forward Marcus Bryan (4.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and sophomore center Devontae Cacock (3.3 ppg., 2.3 rpg) should rise to the occasion.

Two freshmen, meanwhile, are positioned to battle for time in their rookie seasons. Slashing scorer Jaylen Fornes looks to provide instant offense and swing man Matt Elmore brings size and range to the fold.

The Seahawks are slated to tackle a 31-game schedule during the regular season, evenly split with 14 games apiece at home and on the road, along with three neutral site matchups in Nashville, Tenn.

Season tickets are still available by calling the UNCW Ticket Office at 800-808-UNCW or by clicking on the Tickets button on UNCWSports.com. Ticket prices range from $99-$190 and certain sections require Seahawk Club membership/donation obligations.