Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UNC Wilmington Athletics

Scoreboard

Events/Results

clemson_gamestory

Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks On Road Again To Challenge Tigers


Game #13: UNCW "Seahawks" vs. Clemson "Tigers"
Littlejohn Coliseum (9,000) • Clemson, S.C.
Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016 • 7 p.m.
Seahawk Digital Network (Audio)
Twitter: @UNCWMensHoops • #RunDefendWin
Game Notes: UNCW | CU
22564
 UNCW "Seahawks"
2016-17 Record: 11-1
Last Game: W 81-71, Vs. East Carolina, 12-20-16
Head Coach: Kevin Keatts (3rd Season)
Roster | Schedule/Results | Statistics | Homepage
23058 Clemson "Tigers"
2016-17 Record: 9-2
Last Game: W 62-60, at South Carolina, 12-21-16
Head Coach: Brad Brownell  (7th Season)
Roster | Schedule/Results | Statistics | Homepage

CLEMSON, South Carolina – Christmas has come and gone and it's time to get back down to business for the UNCW men's basketball team after a brief break for the holidays and time to reflect on an impressive 11-1 start to the 2016-17 season.
 
But Kevin Keatts wants his Seahawks to know that the time for looking back is over.
 
"Clemson's a very good basketball team and they've gotten even better," Keatts warned as his team returned to campus to prepare for Wednesday's 7 p.m. tip at refurbished Littlejohn Coliseum. The Seahawks are playing for the first time since dispatching regional rival East Carolina, 81-71, back on Dec. 20 at sold-out Trask Coliseum.
 
"Clemson is a very good program and Brad (former UNCW head coach Brad Brownell) does a great job with their team.
 
"When I was at Louisville, it scared us because you didn't know if your players would take a mid-major team seriously. When you're 11-1, they'll be prepared to play against us. Our record will get their attention. If we rolled in at 5-7, it would be different."
 
Storylines are in no short supply for the game. There are multiple ties between the UNCW and Clemson programs, starting at the top with Brownell.
 
The Indiana native spent four seasons at UNCW from 2003-06 and coached the Seahawks to an 83-40 (.675) record with NCAA appearances in 2003 and 2006. He then moved on to Wright State for four years before landing in South Carolina and rejuvenating the Tiger program.
 
Clemson brings a 9-2 record into Wednesday's key matchup after upsetting No. 20 South Carolina, 62-60, last Thursday in Columbia, S.C. Brownell has a talented lineup at his disposal, headed by graduate forward Jaron Blossomgame, a First-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer who leads the team in several statistical categories, including scoring at 17.4 points per game.
 
Blossomgame, a probable NBA First-Round draft choice in 2017, is joined in the lineup by graduate guard Avry Holmes (10.7 ppg), sophomore guard Shelton Mitchell (9.7 ppg), sophomore guard Marcquisse Reed (9.8 ppg) and junior forward Donte Grantham (10.5 ppg).
 
Like the Seahawks, who have reeled off eight straight victories, the Tigers have been red-hot, winning seven in a row. Clemson's last loss came on Nov. 20 in a 70-64 defeat to Oklahoma, but the Tigers stand 6-0 at home with wins over Georgia and Nebraska.
 
UNCW, meanwhile, will be looking to build on the momentum from its pre-holiday schedule, which produced several close victories during a treacherous road-heavy slate. The Seahawks are ranked No. 3 in the CollegeInsdier.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll and collected three votes in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll.  Clemson picked up 12 votes in the AP tally.
 
The Seahawks also feature a balanced scoring attack behind Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Player-of-the-Year Chris Flemmings (17.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg). Sophomore guard C.J. Bryce (18.1 ppg), sophomore forward Devontae Cacok (13.2 ppg) and senior guard Denzel Ingram (12.9 ppg) give UNCW several scoring options in Keatts' third season.
 
"When I took this job," Keatts told reporters following the win over ECU, "I wanted to build a program. My vision was to score from every position and have people understand their roles. "We're getting there. I think our offense is clicking at a high level right now. You're not going to be perfect in every area, but as we get better defensively, we have a chance to be very good."
 
The Seahawks are playing their first ACC opponent since a 93-85 loss to Duke in last year's NCAA Tournament and stand 2-35 against the Power-5 league. Clemson won the only meeting between the two teams, 67-50, on Nov. 14, 1997, when Jerry Wainwright and Rick Barnes headed up the programs.
 
Live Seahawk Digital Network (SDN) coverage of Saturday's UNCW-Clemson contest begins with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. Simply visit UNCWsports.com/SDN for live audio coverage. 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.
 
For more information on the UNCW men's basketball team throughout the 2016-17 season, visit UNCWsports.com and click on the Men's Basketball button. Additional information is also available on UNCW's social media channels: Facebook (UNCW Men's Basketball), Twitter (@UNCWmenshoops), Instagram (UNCWBasketball).
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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
Denzel Ingram

#10 Denzel Ingram

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

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
Denzel Ingram

#10 Denzel Ingram

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
G