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battleofcharleston

Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks Look To Punch Ticket To NCAA Tournament

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – After 33 games and two epic regular season battles, it all comes down to this - UNCW vs. College of Charleston for the 2017 Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball title and the league's most coveted prize: an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Seahawks, shooting for their sixth CAA crown, have lived up to every expectation this season, rolling up numerous school records and sitting atop the CAA standings since day one. Led by veterans Chris Flemmings, Denzel Ingram, Ambrose Mosley and Chuck Ogbodo, the Seahawks are aiming for the program's first back-to-back titles since the Brett Blizzard-led team in 2002 and 2003.
 
But it won't be easy.
 
UNCW (28-5) and Charleston (25-8) locked up in two tightly-contested games during the regular season, with each club winning on the other's home court in down-to-the-wire matchups.
 
On Jan. 19 at TD Arena in Charleston, sophomore standout C.J. Bryce and Flemmings each notched double-doubles and junior playmaker Jordon Talley came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points as UNCW snagged over sole possession of first place in the CAA with a 65-59 road victory at Charleston. The Seahawks won their eighth in a row over the Cougars by building a 10-point lead in the second half and limiting CofC to 28.8 percent shooting at TD Arena. Junior guard Joe Chealey had 17 points for the Cougars.
 
In the rematch, played on Feb. 2 at Trask Coliseum in Wilmington, sophomore forward Jarrell Brantley's three-point play with 8.7 seconds left lifted Charleston past UNCW, 67-66. The Seahawks lost their only home game this season when the Cougars converted 19-of-25 at the free throw line and placed  three men in double figures, topped by Grant Riller's 22 points. Bryce had 21 points for the Seahawks, who shot 51 percent from the field, but wound up just 12-of-23 at the free throw stripe.
 
The two teams have been on the same trajectory ever since the early February matchup and Monday's 7 p.m. tilt has been anticipated since those close battles.
 
The game will feature the CAA's most decorated coaches over the last three years. UNCW's Kevin Keatts was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year in 2015 and 2016 – the first in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons – and CofC's Earl Grant collected the honor this year.
 
The Seahawks are the top-seed in the event for the sixth time and own a 38-26 record in 32 tournament appearances through the years. Keatts stands 6-1 in the CAA tourney after splitting a pair of games in 2014-15, running the table in last year's tournament in Baltimore and taking games vs. Delaware and William & Mary this time around.
 
The Cougars are playing in their first CAA championship game in the first year the tournament has been staged in Charleston.
 
Live Seahawk Digital Network (SDN) coverage of UNCW's games in the tournament begin with Mike Vaccaro providing the pregame show 15 minutes prior to tip-off. 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).
 
For more information on the UNCW men's basketball team, 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).
 
CAA Championship Central: http://www.CAASports.com/MBBChamps will be the hub for the league's championship coverage, featuring live stats, box scores, highlights, game recaps and more.
 
Live Stats: To follow the games statistically, simply click  http://www.CAAStats.com or http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/central.php?tid=570 

CAA Social Media Channels:
  • Twitter - @CAABasketball 
  • CAAChamps CAAHoops
  • Instagram – CAASports
  • Snapchat – CAASports
  • Facebook - /CAASports
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Players Mentioned

C.J. Bryce

#12 C.J. Bryce

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Chris Flemmings

#1 Chris Flemmings

G
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
Denzel Ingram

#10 Denzel Ingram

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Chuck Ogbodo

#13 Chuck Ogbodo

C
6' 9"
Senior
Jordon Talley

#4 Jordon Talley

G
6' 0"
Junior
Ambrose Mosley

#00 Ambrose Mosley

G
6' 2"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

C.J. Bryce

#12 C.J. Bryce

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Chris Flemmings

#1 Chris Flemmings

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
G
Denzel Ingram

#10 Denzel Ingram

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
G
Chuck Ogbodo

#13 Chuck Ogbodo

6' 9"
Senior
C
Jordon Talley

#4 Jordon Talley

6' 0"
Junior
G
Ambrose Mosley

#00 Ambrose Mosley

6' 2"
Graduate Student
G