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Men's Basketball

Seahawks Collide With Camels In 100th Meeting Between State Rivals

Game #9: UNCW "Seahawks" (5-3) vs. Campbell "Camels" (5-6)
John W. Pope, Jr., Convocation Center (3,095) • Buies Creek, N.C.
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014 • 2 p.m.
Seahawk Digital Network (Audio)  • Live Stats
Twitter: @UNCWMensHoops • #wingsup
Game Notes: UNCW | Campbell
22207
UNCW "Seahawks"
2014-15 Record: 5-3, 0-0 CAA
Last Game: Dec. 20 Vs. East Carolina - W, 66-54 (Recap | Box Score)
Head Coach: Kevin Keatts (1st season)
Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Homepage
21468Campbell "Camels"
2014-15 Record: 5-6, 0-0 BSC
Last Game: Dec. 20 Vs. Montreat - W, 90-64 (Recap | Box Score)
Head Coach: Kevin McGeehan (2nd season)
Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Homepage

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW-Campbell men's basketball rivalry completes its 10th decade early Tuesday when the two longtime foes meet for the 100th time at the orange and black John W. Pope, Jr., Convocation Center in the bucolic hamlet of Buies Creek.
 
Both teams bring two-game winning streaks into the 2 p.m. tip-off. UNCW is coming off consecutive victories over Liberty (73-70, OT) and East Carolina (66-54), while Campbell has notched back-to-back wins against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (70-65) and NAIA member Montreat (90-64).
 
"We're walking around with a lot of confidence right now and everybody's happy," said Kevin Keatts, UNCW's first-year coach. "Our guys have done a very good job with scouting reports, but this is a new game.
 
"What makes this game tough is the fact that Campbell runs the Princeton offense. When you play teams like Campbell, you'd like to have three or four days to prepare. They run a lot of back door cuts and they make you pay for every mistake. It's a difficult offense to prepare for in a short amount of time."
 
The Seahawks turned in an outstanding performance with Saturday's 12-point decision over East Carolina. UNCW held the Pirates to just 28.1 percent shooting and blocked a season-high 11 shots to win their second in a row over their neighbors to the north.
 
The Seahawks controlled the offensive side of the game all night behind double figure scorers Freddie Jackson (14 points), Craig Ponder (12 points) and Addison Spruill (11 points). Jackson, a local product out of New Hanover High School, added 10 rebounds to register his second double-double of the campaign.
 
"We have a very good mixture right now between two-point baskets and the three-point game," added Keatts. "We haven't fallen in love with the three-pointer and we have a good balance right now."
 
The 6-4, 185-pound Jackson has elevated his game this season and leads the team in scoring with 17.0 ppg. He has reached double figures in seven of eight outings while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from deep. Ponder (11.9 ppg) and Spruill (11.6) are backing up Jackson in the scoring column.
"Freddie's stepped up to the challenge," Keatts said. "He's been our most consistent player so far. He's matured as a basketball player. He wants to have a winning season and would certainly love to win a CAA championship."
 
The Camels, led by second-year Head Coach Kevin McGeehan, have won four of their last five games and crushed Montreat by nearly 30 points on Saturday. Campbell is 4-1 at home and also features three players in double figures: D.J. Mason (13.5 ppg), Reco McCarter (10.6 ppg), Kyre' Hamer (10.0 ppg).
 
Keatts said the Seahawks will need another stellar defensive effort to keep the Camels from extending their home winning streak to four games. McGeehan's team is averaging 6.8 treys each contest and senior wing Andrew Ryan has connected on 22 trifectas.
 
"We're turning into a very good defensive team. I'm excited about the way we're defending. We've done a tremendous job of defending the three-point line (opponents are shooting 31.7 percent). Our communication is getting better and we're not giving up open looks."
 
UNCW leads the all-time series with the Camels, 57-42, and owns a 37-11 advantage since the two schools began NCAA Division I play in 1976-77. The rejuvenated Seahawks are seeking their first win at the Pope Center following close losses on Dec. 22, 2010 (57-56) and Dec. 29, 2012 (72-60).
 
After Tuesday's pre-Christmas clash, the Seahawks break briefly for the holiday before taking on Big Ten Conference foe Minnesota on Saturday in a 1 p.m. (EST) test at historic Williams Arena.
 
An audio broadcast of Tuesday's clash can be heard for free on the Seahawk Digital Network via UNCWsports.com. Fans should click on the "Live Events" button on the top right-hand corner of the main page and follow the prompts. A 15-minute pregame show kicks off the coverage followed by first-half coverage, a 15-minute halftime show, second-half action and a 15-minute post-game show.

Live-in game updates are also available on Twitter by following @UNCWmenshoops.
 
Season tickets remain on sale for UNCW's home schedule and may be purchased at the UNCW Athletics Ticket Office in Trask Coliseum or by visiting UNCWsports.com. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the UNCW Athletic Ticket Office at 910-962-3233 or 1-800-808-UNCW.
 

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Players Mentioned

Freddie Jackson

#10 Freddie Jackson

G
6' 4"
Senior
Craig Ponder

#0 Craig Ponder

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Addison Spruill

#24 Addison Spruill

G
6' 4"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Freddie Jackson

#10 Freddie Jackson

6' 4"
Senior
G
Craig Ponder

#0 Craig Ponder

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
G
Addison Spruill

#24 Addison Spruill

6' 4"
Senior
G