UNCW’s Siddle talks upcoming game vs. Yale, etc.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — UNCW men’s basketball is heading to the postseason for a second consecutive year after accepting a birth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
The Seahawks will go on the road in the opening round to face Yale, a program with similar results this season. That game will be played at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
This will be the first ever matchup between the coastal school and the Ivy League institution, who fell in their conference championship game on Sunday. It was late that evening that Siddle learned who his opponent would be, but it turns out he had already been doing his homework on the Bulldogs.
“I actually was watching the game yesterday live,” Siddle said. “Was able to rewatch it this morning, study their numbers a little bit. What a talented team. What an unbelievable program. They’re the class of the league. You talk about five postseasons in a row, three out of those five have been NCAA tournaments. This will be a tall task for us.”
The last time UNCW played in the NIT was 2001. This comes a season after a CAA title of their own. Siddle says the chance to play deep into March is an honor for a school their size.
“It’s hard to do,” Siddle said. “When you think about some of the best mid-majors in the country, it doesn’t happen often. For us to be in this position, it means the program is heading in the right direction. We have a great staff, great players, good continuity in the program. Our culture is at an all-time high right now.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
Other recent news around the program is that Siddle received a new contract that ties him to UNCW through 2031. Athletics Director Michael Oblinger says it was an easy decision to keep Siddle around given his resume.
“It’s a huge priority,” Oblinger said. “We talk constantly about the program and what we can do to elevate it. I was very upfront about how important he is and his leadership of the program. It’s not something that we’re not just talking about it regularly. It’s something we’re talking about constantly.”
This is the second consecutive year Siddle has gotten a new contract from UNCW.
