Seahawks Open CAA Action With Cougars

Game No. 14: UNCW "Seahawks" Vs. Charleston "Cougars"
Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018 | Trask Coliseum (5,200) | Wilmington, N.C.

	UNCW "Seahawks"		Charleston "Cougars"
	2018-19 Record: 4-9		2018-19 Record: 11-2
	Last Game: l. at Mercer, 77-73, Dec. 21, 2018		Last Game: w. vs. Coastal Carolina, 73-71, Dec. 21, 2018
	Head Coach: C.B. McGrath (2nd Season)		Head Coach: Earl Grant (5th Season)
	Roster \| Schedule-Results \| Statistics \| Website		Roster \| Schedule-Results \| Statistics \| Website

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW men's basketball team opens its 35th season of play in the Colonial Athletic Association on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, when rival College of Charleston visits to Trask Coliseum for the sixth time as a conference member.

The Seahawks, 4-9, wrapped up their non-conference schedule on Friday, Dec. 21, with a 77-73 loss against Mercer in Macon, Ga. Coach C.B. McGrath's club returns to the floor following an eight-day break for the Christmas holiday.

CofC has been one of the CAA's hottest teams early in 2018-19. The Cougars bring an 11-2 record and eight-game winning streak into Trask Coliseum and have not lost since a 67-55 defeat at LSU on Nov. 22 in Baton Rouge. The streak includes a 73-71 decision over Coastal Carolina on Friday, Dec. 21, in their last outing.

"For everybody, it's a reset button," McGrath said of the conference debut. "No matter where you stand, when you start conference play, it's what our guys are used to. The non-conference season did not end up how we wanted.

"It's just the luck of the draw with the schedule. In an ideal world, we wouldn't be playing Charleston first and over the holidays. Our students aren't here, so we have to hope all of our fans in the area come out to Trask and support us tomorrow night."

UNCW and CofC are squaring off for the 27^th time overall and 14^th occasion as CAA rivals. The Seahawks have had the best of it in conference games, winning nine of the 14 matchups since the Cougars joined the loop in 2013-14.

The defending CAA champion Cougars were picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll behind standouts Grant Tiller and Jarrell Brantley. UNCW was tapped to wind up in fifth place.

McGrath is beginning his second year in the CAA and finished the regular season with a 7-11 mark in 2017-18, including a 5-4 ledger in conference home games. The Seahawks don't have another conference home game until Jan. 10, 2019, when Delaware comes to the Port City.

Live Seahawk Digital Network (SDN) coverage of the UNCW-CofC contest starts at 6:45 p.m. with Mike Vaccaro, the "Voice of the Seahawks," and Marty Feurer on the call. Visit UNCWsports.com/SDN for live audio coverage.

A radio broadcast of the game may be heard on 95.9 FM "The Breeze" | WKXB HD 2 – 95.9 FM and 99.9 HD2 and live stats are available at UNCWStats.com.

THE STORYLINES

THE LAST MEETING: In the last matchup between the two teams, Grant Riller poured in a game-high 28 points and Jarrell Brandley added 23 as hot shooting CofC raced past the Seahawks, 88-74, on Feb. 17, 2018, at Trask Coliseum. The Cougars shot a blistering 68 percent to capture both games in the home-and-home series and spoil "Senior Night" festivities in Wilmington.

THE SERIES: The Seahawks and Cougars have split 26 meetings on the hardwood. The regional rivals collided for the first time on Jan. 29, 1990, and became even bigger rivals on Jan. 22, 2014, when the Cougars claimed a 75-70 victory in Charleston's inaugural season in the CAA.

SERIES IN TRASK: UNCW and CofC are playing for the 13th time at Trask Coliseum. The Seahawks are 6-6 against the Cougars in Wilmington and have won three of the last five meetings in the Port City. UNCW is 3-2 against CofC at home since the Cougars joined the conference.

PALMETTO STATE FOES: Charleston is one of two South Carolina opponents on the schedule this year (the Seahawks also played Furman on Dec. 15 in Greenville, S.C). The Seahawks own a 61-44 (.583) record against 13 teams from the Palmetto State through the years.
CAA VIDEO PACKAGE DEBUTS: For the second consecutive season, 12 CAA men's basketball conference games will be televised by CBS Sports Digital on CollegeSportsLive.com, beginning with Saturday's UNCW-CofC tilt. The games are available free by visiting https://bit.ly/2EPs7hk.
NEXT UP: Following Saturday's game, the Seahawks travel to Harrisonburg, Va., for their CAA road opener at James Madison on Thursday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is 7 p.m. at the JMU Convocation Center.

EVERYTHING SEAHAWKS: 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).

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Seahawks Open CAA Action With Cougars