WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Coach
Karen Barefoot and the UNCW women's basketball team go through their final tune-up for the 2018-19 regular season on Saturday, Oct. 27, when the Seahawks welcome Catawba to Trask Coliseum for a noon matinee.
It will be the first game of a doubleheader as the UNCW men's basketball squad squares off with ACC foe Clemson at 5 p.m. in an exhibition tilt to raise funds to help victims of Hurricane Florence.
The Seahawks, who posted a 12-19 record in Barefoot's first season a year ago, welcome back eight letter winners, including junior guard
Lacey Suggs. The White Lake, N.C., native led the Seahawks in scoring off the bench and was an honorable mention selection on the Preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association Team.
Barefoot's roster also includes a number of new faces, including three players – redshirt junior guard
GiGi Smith and redshirt senior guards
Ashli Jeune and
Shrita Parker – who sat out last year as Division I transfers.
Catawba enters its first season in the Terrence Baxter era with Saturday's exhibition tilt after compiling a 14-14 record a year ago. Sophomore forward Taisha DeShazo returns as the Indians' leading scorer after averaging 7.1 points per game while junior guard Madison Hallman chipped in 6.8 points per contest.
Saturday's Starting Five
Just the Facts: The Seahawks are 17-13 all-time in exhibition play following last year's 81-37 victory over Greensboro College.
Connect Four: UNCW is aiming to win its fourth consecutive exhibition contest on Saturday. In the previous three wins, the Seahawks have averaged 81.6 points per contest.
Sixth Sense: UNCW holds a 6-0 all-time record in regular season play over Catawba. Saturday's contest will be the first exhibition gathering between the two teams.
Early Risers: Saturday's game will be the earliest exhibition game on record for the Seahawks and just the second exhibition to be played in October after last year's win over Greensboro.
History Lesson: Junior guard
Lacey Suggs recorded the second 20-point game of her college career in last year's 74-59 victory over Catawba, including a 9-for-12 effort from the field.
