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Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks Visit Bluegrass State For First Road Trip


Game #2: UNCW "Seahawks" vs. Eastern Kentucky "Colonels"
Alumni Coliseum (6,500) • Richmond, Ky.
Monday, Nov. 14, 2016 • 7:00 p.m.
Seahawk Digital Network (Audio) • EKU Video • Live Stats
Twitter: @UNCWMensHoops • #RunDefendWin
Game Notes: UNCW | EKU
22564
 UNCW "Seahawks"
2016-17 Record: 1-0
Last Game: W 110-64 Vs. Claflin, 11-11-16
Head Coach: Kevin Keatts (3rd Season)
Roster | Schedule/Results | Statistics | Homepage
23440 Eastern Kentucky "Colonels"
2016-17 Record: 1-0
Last Game: W 97-87 Vs. IUPUI, 11-11-16
Head Coach: Dan McHale (2nd Season)
Roster | Schedule/Results | Statistics | Homepage

RICHMOND, Kentucky – The UNCW men's basketball team makes its only trip of the season to the state of Kentucky on Monday night expecting a much tighter contest following a pair of blowout victories in the young season.
 
The Seahawks, who visit Eastern Kentucky for a 7 p.m. tip-off at Alumni Coliseum, launched the campaign Friday with a 110-64 demolition of NCAA Division II Claflin on the heels of a 117-65 rout of another DII foe, Mount Olive, in an exhibition game. When calculated, that's a winning margin of 49.0 points per game in the two contests.
 
"We had an incredible pace in both of those games," said second-year Head Coach Kevin Keatts, who has resurrected UNCW's program in just three seasons. "We were very active on defense, shared the basketball and had multiple guys in double figures. They were two good contests for us."
 
In the season-opening win over the Panthers from Orangeburg, S.C., the Seahawks dominated from wire to wire in the romp. Sparked by CAA Preseason Player of the Year Chris Flemmings, UNCW bolted out to a 62-22 cushion at halftime and dialed up cruise control the rest of the way.
 
Flemmings, a 6-5, 180-pound guard from Cary, N.C., started his senior season with 28 points, making 8-of-12 shots and all nine of his free throws, in just 21 minutes. Four other players – sophomore guard C.J. Bryce (23), graduate guard Ambrose Mosley (16), senior guard Denzel Ingram (15) and sophomore forward Devontae Cacok (14) – enjoyed excellent offensive nights to give the Seahawks five starters in double figures.
 
The Seahawks played all 11 players who dressed in the Claflin victory and led by as many as 55 points. It marked the second biggest win in the three-year tenure of two-time CAA Coach of the Year Kevin Keatts.
 
UNCW and EKU are meeting for the second straight season after the Seahawks handed the Colonels a 78-59 defeat last November at Trask Coliseum. Craig Ponder poured in 24 points and graduate forward Dylan Sherwood had 16 as the Colonels came out ice cold and missed their first 10 field goal attempts. Both players have graduated.
 
Overall, ECU leads the five-game series by a 3-2 margin, including a pair of victories over UNCW in Richmond. The Seahawks last played the Colonels in Kentucky 16 years ago and EKU rolled, 80-64, over then-coach Kevin Eastman's club.
 
EKU also opened its season on a winning note at home last Friday, outscoring IUPUI, 97-87.  Second-year head coach Dan McHale's team converted 45-of-56 free throws, including 13 in the final two minutes, to seal the win. Like the Seahawks, all five starters for the Colonels reached double digits, anchored by sophomore forward Nick Mayo's 24 points and eight rebounds.
 
Keatts said, "Eastern Kentucky is a very good basketball team. They have a very good team led by Nick Mayo, an excellent interior player who can score in a variety of ways, and a freshman point guard who makes them go. They have good chemistry and they're playing very good basketball at this point.
 
"Nick is a tough matchup. He's a post guy, but he has the skills of a small forward. He can shoot the three, run the floor and handle the ball. He's a tough matchup for our post guys.
 
"Anytime you come on a Division I program's home floor, you expect to have a tougher game. It will be a good contest for us."
 
Keatts has established a winning trend in November for the Seahawks. He stands 7-2 in November games and went an unblemished 4-0 last year in the first month of the season en route to the stellar 25-8 record and NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
Following Monday's clash with the Colonels, the Seahawks return home to entertain East Tennessee State on Sunday, Nov. 20, in a 3 p.m. tip-off at Trask Coliseum. It's the last two November home games for the team in 2016-17.
 
Live Seahawk Digital Network (SDN) coverage of the contest begins with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. Simply visit UNCWsports.com, click on the "Live Events" button in the top right-hand corner and follow the prompts for a free audio and/or video feed of the contest. In addition, a radio broadcast of the game can be heard on WLSG 94.1 FM and 1340 AM (Wilmington) and WSME 97.1 FM and 1120 AM (Jacksonville).

Season tickets remain available by visiting the UNCW Athletics Ticket Office in Trask Coliseum, calling 1-800-808-UNCW or clicking on the Tickets button via UNCWSports.com. Tickets start as low as $99, with 5 and 8-game mini-plans also available.


 
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Players Mentioned

Craig Ponder

#0 Craig Ponder

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
Dylan Sherwood

#20 Dylan Sherwood

F
6' 9"
Graduate Student
C.J. Bryce

#12 C.J. Bryce

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Devontae Cacok

#15 Devontae Cacok

F
6' 7"
Sophomore
Chris Flemmings

#1 Chris Flemmings

G
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
Ambrose Mosley

#00 Ambrose Mosley

G
6' 2"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Craig Ponder

#0 Craig Ponder

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
G
Dylan Sherwood

#20 Dylan Sherwood

6' 9"
Graduate Student
F
C.J. Bryce

#12 C.J. Bryce

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Devontae Cacok

#15 Devontae Cacok

6' 7"
Sophomore
F
Chris Flemmings

#1 Chris Flemmings

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
G
Ambrose Mosley

#00 Ambrose Mosley

6' 2"
Graduate Student
G