Home opener tonight for Seahawk men

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW) — After a four-game road swing to launch the new season, the UNCW men’s basketball team is anxious to suit up at Trask Coliseum for the first time in 2014-15.

The Seahawks, 2-2, entertain NAIA member St. Andrews on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. in the first of 12 home games on the slate this season. The Knights are 3-3 this fall under third-year coach Andrew Brown.

“Having the opportunity to play at home and in front of the home crowd finally, instead of getting booed everywhere we’ve been, will be a good thing for our guys,” laughed first-year Head Coach Kevin Keatts. “Our guys are excited about being at home after going on the road the first four games and playing four very good teams.”

UNCW is coming off a 72-49 loss at Davidson that gave the Seahawks a split of their first four games of the campaign. The loss to the Wildcats snapped a two-game winning streak following victories over Southern Conference opponents UNC Greensboro and VMI.

UNCW and St. Andrews are old rivals from way back. The two clubs met 11 times in the late 60s and early 70s before the Seahawks moved up to the NCAA Division I level. St. Andrews eventually moved to the NCAA Division II classification before reuniting with the NAIA two years ago.

Veteran guard Aaron Smith (5-10, 175, Sr.) anchors three players averaging in double figures at 19.3 points per game for the Knights, who compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. Backcourt mate Quentin Duncan (6-4, 190, Jr.) is collecting 17.2 ppg and forward Ryan Outar (6-5, 185, Jr.) checks in at 12.7 ppg.

The Knights are shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 44.9 percent from three-point range and 64.6 percent at the free throw line. They are the first NAIA opponent for UNCW since the Seahawks coasted past Campbellsville (Ky.) last season, 72-55, on Nov. 26, 2013.

“They are undersized and they can really score the basketball,” Keatts said of the Knights. “They shoot a great percentage from three and have three guys averaging in double figures. They will be a tough matchup because even though they’re undersized, their quickness will affect us. We have to do a good job of keeping those guys in front and getting scrappy rebounds.”

The two teams are playing for the 12th time on Wednesday. UNCW owns a perfect 11-0 mark against St. Andrews in a series that began on Dec. 1, 1965. The Seahawks are 6-0 against the Knights at home, but played all of those games in Hanover Hall. Nine of the 11 wins have been by double digits and UNCW has a 23.9 ppg victory margin over the Knights.

The Seahawks and Knights have been involved in several high-scoring affairs. In fact, UNCW’s 119-81 victory on Dec. 1, 1965, reigns as the highest scoring game in school history. UNCW also cruised past St. Andrews, 106-80, on Jan. 26, 1967.

Four players – Kevin Hickson, Nick Powell, Malik Pugh and Jordon Talley – are making their official home debuts for the Seahawks.

Keatts and his staff have benefitted from a balanced attack through four outings, with eight players averaging at least 15 minutes per game and five averaging in double figures scoring. Seniors Freddie Jackson and Addison Spruill are each collecting 14.3 ppg, while redshirt junior guard Craig Ponder is contributing 12.5 ppg. Senior forward Cedrick Williams ranks fourth in scoring at 12.0 and leads the team with 8.0 rebounds each time on the floor.

Redshirt forward Dylan Sherwood is also averaging 10.0, but is listed as a game-time decision with an ankle injury. The 6-9, 215-pound Sherwood scored 12 and 16 points in his first two games at Old Dominion and UNCG before going down in the VMI triumph.

The Seahawks are shooting 47.5 percent overall, including 39.3 percent from long distance. UNCW is averaging 74.9 points per game, second among the CAA’s 10 schools early on.

Keatts said, “I thought we played well in the first four games. We played four good teams and got a split. In three of the four games, we played well and played Seahawk basketball.”

Following Wednesday’s clash with the Knights, the Seahawks have an 11-day break for exams before returning to action Dec. 14 at Louisville, Keatts’ former club.