WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW women's basketball team prepares to face its toughest challenges of the early Colonial Athletic Association season this weekend as the league's two remaining unbeaten teams venture to the Port City.
James Madison is the first of those opponents to visit Trask Coliseum, joining the Seahawks for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday evening. Friday's game is the third installment of the Seahawks' "Color Series" and fans are encouraged to wear black. Official "Black Out" shirts can be purchased at Omega Sports and the UNCW Bookstore.
The Seahawks carry a 9-5 overall record into Friday's tilt with the CAA preseason favorite Dukes. UNCW upped its league standing to 2-1 on Sunday afternoon by rallying from a 16-point deficit to hand two-time defending league champion Elon a 75-70 setback in the newly-built Schar Center.
Redshirt junior guard
GiGi Smith paced the Seahawks in the come-from-behind victory, scoring 16 of her team-high 22 points after the intermission. Redshirt senior guard
Shrita Parker added 16 markers, including an 8-for-10 showing at the foul line, while junior guard
Timber Tate knocked down three three-pointers in the second half.
James Madison, which stands at 12-3 overall and 4-0 in league play, brings a six-game winning streak into Wilmington after defeating Hofstra and Northeastern. Ranked No. 11 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, the Dukes have not lost since dropping a 64-51 verdict to St. John's inside the JMU Convocation Center on Dec. 21.
In its most recent victory against the Huskies on Sunday, James Madison used a combined 45 points from junior guards Lexie Barrier and Kamiah Smalls to claim the wire-to-wire victory. Barrier set a season high by scoring 24 points while Smalls, the CAA's Preseason Player-of-the-Year, chipped 21 points for her 17th consecutive double-digit scoring effort.
Friday's Starting Five
Home Run – UNCW is one of four teams in the CAA with an unbeaten home record this season. The Seahawks are allowing just 49.5 points per game in their six home contests.
Sweet 16 – UNCW's 16-point comeback against Elon is tied for the second-largest comeback by the Seahawks since the start of the 2005-06 season.
Summit Meeting – Friday's game features two of the top four scorers in the CAA. Parker paces the Seahawks and ranks third in the loop with an 18.6 scoring average while Smalls follows in fourth place at 18.1 points per game.
Snap That Streak – James Madison has won the last 17 meetings against the Seahawks and holds a 63-9 all-time advantage in the series.
Crunch Time – UNCW is an impressive 18-2 over the last two seasons when having the lead with five minutes remaining in regulation, including a near-perfect 8-1 mark this year.
Up Next: UNCW welcomes CAA co-leader Towson to Trask Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 20, for a 2 p.m. tilt against the Seahawks. Sunday's game will be a "Yellow Out" and fans are encouraged to wear yellow to the game.
