UNCW tops Toledo to end 2010 on winning note

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — UNCW spotted Toledo the first seven points of the game and then raced past the Rockets, 64-42, in a non-conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Trask Coliseum.
The Seahawks snapped a two-game losing streak to even their record at 6-6 in Buzz Peterson’s first season on the bench. The Rockets had their three-game winning streak snapped and carry a 3-10 record into the second leg of a two-game road swing.
In a pre-New Year’s Eve bash that saw all 12 of UNCW’s players see action, senior playmaker Chad Tomko led all scorers with a season-high 22 points. Junior guard Trevor Deloach added 13 points off the bench, bolstered by a 3-for-4 outing from behind the arc.
Reese Holiday, meanwhile, poured in 13 points to lead UT. Hayden Humes and Delino Dear both grabbed nine rebounds as the Rockets out-rebounded UNCW by a 35-34 count.
Sophomore Keith Rendleman and Tomko also hauled in nine caroms apiece for UNCW.
After Toledo scored the first seven points of the contest, the Seahawks responded with 15 straight points of its own as part of a 19-2 run that stunned the Rockets. The lead ballooned to as many as 29 points before the final margin, giving UNCW a 2-1 lead in the series.
The Seahawks wound up shooting 41.5 percent, but dialed long distance effectively, connecting on 12-of-31 behind the arc to wallop the Rockets.
UNCW’s largest lead of the game came with 11:48 on the clock when Tanner Milson launched a trifecta from the top of the key for a 55-26 margin.
UT trailed 33-16 at halftime and chipped the lead to 35-20 with 18:01 remaining on a layup by Holliday. But Tomko drained back-to-back triples and Rendleman capped the 8-0 with a fastbreak dunk.
The Seahawks travel to Williamsburg, Va., on Monday to begin the bulk of their Colonial Athletic Association schedule with a 7 p.m. matchup against William & Mary at Kaplan Arena. The Rockets wrap up a two-game road trip at Alabama on Monday.
GAME NOTES: The Seahawks held Toledo to 16 points, the fewest by an opponent in the first half this season … Buzz Peterson improved to 2-0 against the Rockets and 5-4 against Ohio opponents … UNCW struggled once again at the charity stripe, making only 8-of-16 at the line … Freshman guard Tanner Milson made all four of his free throw attempts to raise his percentage to 87.5 percent on the season … The two teams will play again next season at Savage Arena in Toledo.

article courtesy UNCW Sports Information