Seahawks drop first first game of Music City Challenge

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCWSPORTS.COM) — Junior guard Giddy Potts and senior forward JaCorey Williams combined for 38 points to power Middle Tennessee State past UNCW, 68-63, on the opening day of the Challenge in Music City late Friday at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

The Blue Raiders upped their record to 4-1 by beating the Seahawks in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. UNCW was saddled with its first loss this season in four outings.

The Seahawks play their second game in the three-day affair on Saturday when they take on Evansville at 6 p.m.   MTSU faces Toledo on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

Potts went 9-of-13 from the floor and added a pair of free throws for a game-high 22 points for the Blue Raiders. Williams made 8-of-12 shots for 16 points and Reggie Upshaw chipped in 12 points for MTSU, which shot 60 percent on the night.

Senior guard Denzel Ingram was one of two Seahawks in double figures with 19 points. Senior guard Chris Flemmings finished with 14 points in 40 minutes for UNCW.

“I wasn’t concerned with our offense,” said UNCW third-year Head Coach Kevin Keatts. “I was very disappointed in our defense tonight. We’re a program that takes great pride in getting stops. Tonight is obviously not who we are. It just came down to the defensive end. I didn’t feel like we got the stops we needed.”

Williams scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half to carry the Blue Raiders to a 35-29 advantage at intermission before Potts took over after the break. The bulky Potts scored 15 of his 22 points in the final period as MTSU held off UNCW down the stretch.

MTSU padded its six-point halftime lead out of the blocks in the second half and led by 10 points, 39-29 with 18:50 remaining after Tyrik Dixon converted a steal and layup.

The Seahawks chipped away at the margin and pulled even at 58-all on an alley-oop layup by Flemmings with just over four minutes left.

The score was still tied at 61 points apiece when Potts launched a desperation three-pointer on the right side as the shot expired to lift MTSU to a 64-61 advantage. After Flemmings made a layup, Potts scored again on a layup to extend the lead to 66-63 with 12 ticks left.

Flemmings then had an opportunity to tie the game again, but his three-point attempt from the left corner was off the mark. “Chris had a great look and it didn’t go down,” Keatts reflected.

After MTSU scored the first six points of the contest, the Seahawks got going behind the bouncy Ingram, who led the team with 13 points in the opening period.

With the game tied at 10-all, the Seahawks pocketed 13 of the next 20 points to carve out a 23-17 edge when Flemmings sank a pair of free throws following a technical foul on MTSU head coach Kermit Davis.

But the Blue Raiders regrouped to close out the first half with a flurry. Williams caught the hot hand as MTSU outscored the Seahawks, 18-6, in the final six minutes of the period for a 35-29 lead at intermission. Williams connected on 7-of-9 field goals for 14 points the opening period to lead all scorers as MTSU shot 68.4 percent in the half.

GAME NOTES: The contest started 35 minutes late due to a double overtime victory by Toledo over Evansville in the tourney opener…The Seahawks are now 2-4 in games played in Nashville through the years and 13-10 against opponents from the state of Tennessee…MTSU edged UNCW on the boards, 33-32…The Blue Raiders attempted 19 more free throws than the Seahawks…UNCW led for just 7:26 of the game…Redshirt sophomore guard JaQuel Richmond, who transferred to UNCW from MTSU, played 11 minutes and did not score against his former team…Head Coach Kevin Keatts is now 6-3 in neutral site contests.