WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Sophomore forward
Ryan Flowers (Millbrook H.S./Hickory, N.C.) scored the game-winning lay-up with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation as UNCW (5-7, 1-0) rallied to defeat William & Mary (6-6, 0-1) by a 63-62 margin in the Colonial Athletic Association opener for both teams at Trask Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the Seahawks snapped a two-game losing streak while handing the Tribe its third consecutive defeat.
Trailing by a 62-58 margin, the Seahawks scored five points in the final minute to earn the victory. After senior guard
Kelva Atkins (Granville Central H.S./Stem, N.C.) hit a three-point field goal with 35.5 seconds remaining to close within 62-61, sophomore guard
Marlena Tremba (Paul VI H.S./Vienna, Va.) was fouled and went to the free throw line with 13 seconds remaining.
Tremba missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity and after Flowers got the rebound, she scored on a lay-up off a rebound of a missed jumper from sophomore guard
Brie Mobley (Winter Haven H.S./Winter Haven, Fla.) with 1.9 seconds remaining.
The Tribe had one last chance to win the game, but senior guard
Kyla Kerstetter (Brentwood H.S./Brentwood, Tenn.) missed a three-point field goal attempt as time expired.
Led by six points from Flowers, the Seahawks opened the game by going on a 10-2 run in the opening four minutes. But, the Tribe answered by scoring 11 of the next 13 points to take a 13-12 lead with 13:16 remaining on a three-point field goal by Tremba.
The Seahawks battled to regain the lead with 9:04 remaining before William & Mary scored seven of the next nine points to claim a 27-24 advantage with 4:44 left after a traditional three-point play by sophomore guard
Latrice Hunter (Norfolk Christian H.S./Norfolk, Va.).
UNCW scored 9 of the final 14 points to take a 33-32 advantage into the intermission.
Led by eight points from sophomore forward
Kasey Curtis (Paul VI H.S./Manassas, Va.), the Tribe made 9 of its first 11 field goal attempts to open the second half while building a 52-45 lead with 13:06 left in regulation.
After falling behind by a 55-48 margin with 10:20 left, the Seahawks went on an 8-1 spurt to tie the game at 56-56 with 6:20 remaining on a lay-up by Atkins.
The Tribe scored six of the next eight points to retake the lead at 62-58 and set up the game-winning heroics.
In leading the Seahawks to the victory, Flowers made six of seven shots from the floor and posted her fourth "double double" of the season after scoring 12 points with a game-high 13 rebounds. Atkins, who was honored before the game for reaching the 1,000-point mark for her career, scored a game-high 14 points while recording a career-high eight assists.
Mobley added 11 points for the Seahawks, who earned their 11th win over the Tribe in the last 13 meetings.
Curtis came off the bench to lead William & Mary with a game-high 14 points after making 7 of 12 field goal attempts. Senior
Jazmen Boone (Princess Anne H.S./Virginia Beach, Va.) contributed 11 points with five assists. Â
The Seahawks will continue a busy stretch of four games in eight days by visiting defending CAA champion James Madison on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Opening tip-off between the Seahawks and the Dukes is slated for 7:00 p.m. from the JMU Convocation Center.
