UNCW opens CAA basketball slate with a win over Drexel despite slick court

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW) — Junior guard Chris Flemmings led four players in double figures with 17 points and UNCW stayed perfect at home by turning back Drexel, 75-63, in the Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball opener for both clubs Thursday at Trask Coliseum.

The Seahawks won their fourth straight game to improve to 9-3 and claimed their first CAA opener in eight seasons. The Dragons dropped to 2-10 and lost their fourth contest in five outings.

“It was a CAA dogfight” said UNCW Head Coach Kevin Keatts, who improved to 16-2 at home in his two seasons. “We wanted to drive the basketball and not come in and bomb away from three. We were able to get to the free throw line.

“We needed this. This is the first game where the other team had more possessions. Our guards did a tremendous job on Tavon Allen. We have to get back to work and do a better job inside.”

Flemmings, who went 15-of-16 at the free throw line, led the Seahawks in scoring for the seventh time this season and matched the single game record set by Keith Adkins in an overtime game vs. UNC Charlotte on Jan. 6, 1992.

Reining CAA Rookie-of-the-Week C.J. Bryce added 14 points, freshman forward Devontae Cacok chipped in 11 and junior guard Denzel Ingram scored 10 for the Seahawks, who never trailed and moved to 6-0 at home in 2015-16.

Junior forward Rodney Williams had 15 points for Drexel, which managed just 32.8 percent from the floor in its CAA debut. Sophomore guard Rashaan London collected 13 points and freshman guard Terrell Allen contributed 11. Tavon Allen, Drexel’s leading scorer at 15.6 ppg, was held to five points in the contest.

UNCW jumped ahead, 41-30, at halftime of the matinee and capitalized on Drexel’s cold shooting early in the second half to extend the margin to 46-32. Junior center C.J. Gettys converted a slam dunk with 15:20 remaining and the lead swelled to 46-32.

But Drexel rallied to get the deficit back into single digits when Terrell Allen sank a floater in the lane with 12:37 left to narrow the lead to 48-39.

The lead ballooned to 57-41 on reserve center Chuck Ogbodo’s putback at 9:36 before the Dragons answered again. Back-to-back dunks by Rodney Williams and Kazembe Abif sliced the deficit to 57-46 and started a 9-2 spurt and Drexel trailed by 59-50 with 6:49 remaining following London’s driving layup.

Drexel eventually closed the gap to eight points on Terrell Allen’s layup at 3:30, but consecutive dunks by Cacok stalled by late rally.

The Seahawks made six of their first eight field goal attempts, including 3-of-4 from long distance, to build an early working margin before the 3,599 at Trask Coliseum. Dylan Sherwood’s three-ball along the right wing gave UNCW an 18-13 lead at the 11-minute mark of the first half.

UNCW increased the lead to 23-14 with 10:16 left in the opening period when Flemmings sank a pair of free throws after being fouled on an attempted alley-oop play.

Drexel cut into the deficit and reeled off eight straight points to climb within 23-22 on Rodney Williams’ emphatic dunk with 5:48 to go in the first period.

UNCW then took a 41-30 lead into intermission after shooting 55 percent and getting 10 points Flemmings, who connected on a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line. The Seahawks outscored the Dragons at the charity stripe, 14-6, in the first 20 minutes.

The Seahawks complete a three-game homestand and opening weekend of CAA action on Saturday with a 6 p.m. clash against Northeastern. The Dragons travel to Elon for a Saturday matchup with the Phoenix at 4 p.m.

GAME NOTES: The Seahawks lead the all-time series with the Dragons, 14-12…UNCW owns an 8-4 home record against Drexel…The Dragons had 10 offensive rebounds in the first half and 25 for the game…C.J. Gettys made his first start of the season, giving Coach Kevin Keatts his 10^th different lineup in 12 games…Drexel outrebounded UNCW, 44-31…There were six dunks in the game, including three by Rodney Williams…The two teams combined for 35 turnovers…UNCW’s bench scored 43 points…UNCW finished hitting 29-of-38 at the free throw line for 76.3 percent…The Seahawks eighth double digit victory this season…Each team had nine assists.