UNCW heads to Kalamazoo for 6th win of season

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCWSPORTS.COM) — Fresh off a successful appearance in Nashville’s Challenge In Music City, the 5-1 UNCW men’s basketball team travels north Wednesday to Kalamazoo, Mich., hometown of baseball superstar Derek Jeter and the birthplace of the College World Series.

The city in the southwest corner of Michigan is also home to the Western Michigan Broncos, the next opponent on a challenging non-conference schedule for the Seahawks. It marks the longest road trip of the season for the Seahawks, who journey 895 miles to the city in southwestern Michigan.

“It’s another tough Mid-American conference team,” said third-year UNCW Head Coach Kevin Keatts. “Every road game is a big challenge. We have to stay focused and play well because they will be very tough on their home court.”

The Seahawks, 3-1 in road/neutral games this month, have played away from home early and often in 2016-17. Only two of the team’s first six games have been contested at Trask Coliseum, where Keatts stands 24-4 over the last three seasons. UNCW and WMU tip it off at 7 p.m. at University Arena on the Bronco campus.

The Seahawks, ranked No. 5 in this week’s CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll, play their second straight MAC opponent after dispatching Toledo, 102-77, in Sunday’s finale of the Challenge In Music City. UNCW set a tournament record with its 102-point outburst and senior guard Denzel Ingram was named to the All-Tournament team.

Ingram is one of four Seahawks who carry double digit scoring averages into the game with WMU. Senior guard Chris Flemmings tops the group with 17.8 points per game, followed by sophomore guard C.J. Bryce at 15.3 ppg, Ingram at 12.8 ppg and sophomore forward Devontae Cacok at 11.7.

Cacok also leads the team in rebounding and ranks second in the Colonial Athletic Association with 9.3 rebounds per game and three outings with double digit boards.

The Broncos, 2-3, also feature four players scoring in double figures and, like UNCW, Coach Steve Hawkins and WMU participated in an exempt tournament, dropping games to defending national champion Villanova, UTEP and Boise State in the Charleston Classic.

Junior guard Thomas Wilder paces the Broncos with 15.2 ppg, followed by senior forward Tucker Haymond (12.5 ppg), junior center Drake Lamont (10.8) and freshman forward Brandon Johnson (10.2 ppg).

WMU is playing its third home game of the season after defeating Marygrove, 90-74, on Nov. 11 and cruising past Central Arkansas, 80-63, last Saturday. The Broncos and Seahawks are meeting for the first time at University Arena in Kalamazoo.

The Seahawks are playing just their fifth game against a Michigan school and own a 3-1 record against teams from the state. Four different UNCW coaches – Bill Brooks, Mel Gibson, Jerry Wainwright and Kevin Keatts – have battled the Michiganders.

UNCW narrowly took last year’s installment in the series. The Seahawks won, 80-76, behind 19 points from Flemmings on Nov. 21, 2015, at Trask Coliseum. Haymond finished with 19 points and eight rebounds for the Broncos.

In this week’s CAA statistics, the Seahawks rank first in scoring margin, turnover margin and steals. Individually, Flemmings stands third in the league in scoring and Bryce checks in at seventh overall. Cacok ranks second in rebounding behind Hofstra’s Rokas Gustys.

Wednesday’s tilt represents the final game in November for the Seahawks. UNCW is 5-1 this among and 11-3 in the first month of the season since Keatts arrived in 2014-15.

Live Seahawk Digital Network (SDN) coverage of the contest begins with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. Simply visit UNCWsports.com, click on the “Live Events” button in the top right-hand corner and follow the prompts for a free audio and/or video feed of the contest. In addition, a radio broadcast of the game can be heard on WLSG 94.1 FM and 1340 AM (Wilmington) and WSME 97.1 FM and 1120 AM (Jacksonville).

Season tickets remain available by visiting the UNCW Athletics Ticket Office in Trask Coliseum, calling 1-800-808-UNCW or clicking on the Tickets button via UNCWSports.com. Tickets start as low as $99, with 5 and 8-game mini-plans also available.

For more information on the UNCW men’s basketball team throughout the 2016-17 season, visit UNCWsports.com and click on the Men’s Basketball button. Additional information is also available on UNCW’s social media channels: Facebook (UNCW Men’s Basketball), Twitter (@UNCWmenshoops), Instagram (UNCWBasketball).

Following Wednesday’s clash with the Broncos, the Seahawks return home to entertain NCAA Division II Pfeiffer on Saturday, Dec. ­3, in a special 1 p.m. matinee at Trask Coliseum.