Seahawks join UNC, ECU, UNCG in disaster relief hoops benefit

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCWSports.com) – The University of North Carolina coaching tree, including UNCW’s C.B. McGrath, is branching out to raise money for the governor’s North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.

Roy Williams, the Hall of Fame head coach of defending NCAA champion North Carolina, has invited head coaches with UNC ties from UNCW (McGrath), UNC Greensboro (Wes Miller) and East Carolina (Jeff Lebo) to join the Tar Heels in a basketball “jamboree” on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

The four-team “jamboree” will begin at 3 p.m. Each school will play a total of 40 minutes, divided into three segments against the other teams.

Tickets are $20 and go on sale on Wednesday. Tickets may be purchased at the UNC Athletics Ticket Office at the Williamson Athletics Center next to the Smith Center, at GoHeels.com or by calling (800) 722-HEEL. Students from UNC Chapel Hill will be admitted with a valid student ID.

UNCW, ECU and UNCG will have a limited number of tickets available through their athletic ticket offices. Information on tickets available at the UNCW Athletics Ticket Office will be announced at a later date.

“Coach Williams asked me if I’d be interested in playing an exhibition game for hurricane relief and I thought it was a great idea,” said McGrath. “It’s a win-win situation for us and the fans. We have an opportunity to raise some money to help everyone and the fans can see some good basketball for a day.

“It’s a small part that we can do. Their lives have been destroyed and, hopefully, the money we raise can help them get back on track. It’s important for our guys to understand how we can use basketball to do something important like this.”

The Seahawks, two-time defending champions in the Colonial Athletic Association, open the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 11, against NCAA Division II North Carolina Wesleyan at Trask Coliseum.

McGrath was an assistant coach at UNC from 2003-17. ECU Head Coach Jeff Lebo played at UNC from 1985-89 and UNCG Head Coach Wes Miller played at UNC from 2004-07 (his brother, Walker, is a freshman on the Tar Heel basketball team this year).

UNC Head Coach Roy Williams:
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our universities, our basketball programs and college basketball fans to help people in need. The recent hurricanes caused so much damage. We have a unique opportunity to engage with three schools that are part of the UNC system, whose coaches also have close ties to our own program, to partner in this event. I hope fans of all four teams and people who just want to find a way to make a positive impact will come out and support this relief effort.”

ECU Head Coach Jeff Lebo:
“Here in eastern North Carolina we know first hand how devastating the effects of a hurricane can be and have been the benefactor of the generosity of so many in the past. We are privileged to be part of this event with the opportunity to raise money for those affected by these catastrophic storms and give back to those who unselfishly gave to our community when we were in need.”

UNCG Head Coach Wes Miller:
“We’re honored that Coach Williams included us in this event and we are thrilled to be a part of it. Most importantly, it is for a tremendous cause, but it’s also an opportunity for us to compete against three quality in-state programs.”