UNCW still tied at the top of CAA with Charleston

RICHMOND, VA (COURTESY CAASPORTS.COM) — College of Charleston and UNCW are tied atop the CAA standings at 10-2 with three weeks to go in the regular-season race after CofC edged the Seahawks, 67-66, last Thursday. Freshman Grant Riller led the Cougars with 22 points and Jarrell Brantley provided the game-winning bucket on a three-point play with 8.7 seconds to go. C.J. Bryce tallied 21 points for UNCW, which lost at home for the first time this season. The game featured 13 ties and 15 lead changes.

PILING UP THE WINS: UNCW (21-4) is one of only 11 teams in Division I with at least 21 wins this season as of Feb. 6. The others are #1 Gonzaga (24-0), #2 Villanova (22-2), #5 Oregon (21-3), #8 North Carolina (21-4), #9 Arizona (21-3), #10 UCLA (21-3), #11 Cincinnati (21-2), #20 Saint Mary’s (21-2), New Mexico State (22-2) and Wichita State (21-4).

 THREE CAA TEAMS IN TOP 100 IN LATEST RPI REPORT: Three CAA teams are ranked in the top 100 in the latest RPI rankings released by Collegiate Basketball News (rpiratings.com) through games of Feb. 5. UNCW (21-4), which has won 18 of its last 21 games, leads the way at #45. College of Charleston (19-6), which has captured 16 of its last 19 contests, jumped to #51 after victories over UNCW and Elon last week. Towson (15-10), which has won seven of its last eight games, is ranked #95. Only 9 other conferences (American, ACC, Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Mountain West, Pac 12 and SEC) have three teams in the top 95 of the RPI. The CAA is ranked #11 among the nation’s 32 Division I leagues.

EXCITING FINISHES, BIG COMEBACKS: Four of the 11 CAA games played last week were decided by two points or less. Towson outlasted Drexel 104-103 in double OT on Thursday and then rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat William & Mary, 82-80, on Saturday. Hofstra trailed Delaware by 11 at the half before winning 73-65 on Thursday and then went on a 12-0 run over the final minute to knock off Drexel, 79-77, on Saturday.

 UNCW MATCHES NU’S CAA MARK FOR 3-POINTERS: UNCW went 21-of-32 from 3-point range against Delaware last Saturday, tying the CAA record for threes in a game set by Northeastern (21-of-33) vs. Delaware on Jan. 5. The previous CAA treys record was 20, set by VCU in 2010 and Navy in 1990.

HOME SWEET HOME: Home teams have won 70% (42-18) of their games in CAA play this season, reversing a trend from the past two years. William & Mary is 6-0 at home, while UNCW, CofC, Towson, Elon and Northeastern are all 5-1. Only UNCW and CofC have winning records (5-1) on the road in league action. Home teams were 45-45 in CAA play last season and 47-43 in 2014-15.

 UNCW RECEIVES VOTES IN NATIONAL POLLS FOR 7TH STRAIGHT WEEK: UNCW received three points in this week’s USA Today Coaches Poll, which marked the seventh straight week that the Seahawks have gotten votes in the national rankings.

UNCW

• Went 1-1 at home last week, falling 67-66 to CofC before beating Delaware, 108-80.

• Devontae Cacok averaged 17.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 3.5 bpg while shooting 86.7% from the floor last week. He leads the nation in FG percentage (79.3%), ranks 14th in Div. I with 10.6 rpg and has 10 double-doubles.

• C.J. Bryce scored 21 points vs. CofC, which was his 7th 20-point effort. He’s tallied double digits in 20 of his last 21 games.

• Chris Flemmings scored 22 points vs. UD, which was his most points since Dec. 3.

• Denzel Ingram leads the CAA in 3’s per game and assists and ranks 9th in scoring.

• UNCW shot 69.2% from the floor vs. UD and tied a CAA record by hitting 21-of-32 treys.

• Ambrose Mosley (18 pts) and Jaylen Fornes (17 pts) both scored career-highs vs. UD and combined to make 11 three-pointers.

• UNCW has reached the 20-win mark in back-to-back years for the 2nd time ever.