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UNC Wilmington Athletics

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Events/Results

cacok_nu_011919
Jim Pierce/NU Athletics
71
UNCW UNCW 7-13, 3-4 CAA
88
Winner Northeastern NU 11-8, 5-2 CAA
UNCW UNCW
7-13, 3-4 CAA
71
Final
88
Northeastern NU
11-8, 5-2 CAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNCW UNCW 38 33 71
Northeastern NU 40 48 88

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Joe Browning

Huskies Pull Away From Seahawks

BOSTON, Massachusetts – Guards Vasa Pusica and Shawn Occeus combined for 41 points and keyed a second half surge to help Northeastern keep pace with the Colonial Athletic Association's frontrunners in an 88-71 victory over UNCW in men's basketball action early Saturday at historic Matthews Arena.
 
The Huskies won their fourth in a row to improve to 11-8 overall and 5-2 in the CAA. The Seahawks lost their second straight on the weekend road trip to the northeast and carry a 7-13 overall mark and 3-4 conference record into a four-game home stand.
 
The crafty Pusica, runner-up in last year's CAA Player-of-the-Year balloting, poured in 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 4-of-7 behind the arc. Occeus pumped in 20 points and junior transfer Jordan Roland contributed 17 off the bench for the Huskies, who shot 56. 7 percent in the second half.
 
Senior forward Devontae Cacok led UNCW in scoring for the eighth time this season with a game-high 23 points and added 13 rebounds for his CAA-leading 14th double-double of the season and 49th of his career. Junior forward Jeantal Cylla contributed 17 points and sophomore guard Ty Gadsden finished with 13 for the Seahawks.
 
The Seahawks trailed by just two points, 40-38, at halftime and were still within striking distance when Pusica, Occeus and Roland took over.
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UNCW was behind, 57-53, at the 13-minute mark, but Roland triggered a 17-4 run that helped the Huskies gain separation. Pusica made his first four field goals in the second half and Occeus scored nine points after the break. Roland had seven points in the decisive spurt and dropped in a free throw with 3:10 on the clock to give the Huskies their largest lead of the contest, 87-65.
 
After shooting 53.1 percent in the first half, the Seahawks cooled off to 42.3 percent in the final period and a four-minute drought down the stretch cost them a chance at trying make a late comeback down the stretch.
 
The two teams opened the game with the hot hand, combining for 11-of-20 from the floor and 4-of-7 from deep, before settling in. Pusica went 3-for-4 and 2-of-3 behind the arc in the first four minutes to get the Huskies off to a quick start.
 
The Huskies opened up their largest lead of the first period, 37-29, with 4:37 left on three free throws by Roland, a transfer from George Washington.
 
The Seahawks responded with a flourish over the last five minutes of the first half, and outscored the Huskies, 9-3, to climb within 40-38 at the break. UNCW freshman guard Jaylen Sims scored five of the points and a free throw by newcomer Kai Toews with 33 seconds remaining closed the gap to two points at intermission.
 
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS: For the second straight game, the Seahawks were outscored by double digits in the second half, this time 48-33 by the Huskies. Hofstra outscored UNCW, 46-30, in the final 20 minutes on Thursday night.
 
SERIES UPDATE: The Huskies now lead the all-time series by a 14-12 advantage after their fourth straight victory over the Seahawks.
 
RULING THE BOARDS: Led by Cacok, the Seahawks won the rebounding battle, 38-30, and pulled down 11 caroms on the offensive glass.
 
KEY MOMENT: After Cacok narrowed the deficit to 57-53 with 12:13 left to play, Roland answered with a runner on the right side to kick start a 17-3 spurt that propelled the Huskies to their fourth straight win over UNCW.
 
QUOTABLE: "We really battled in the first half. They got to a hot start. We just didn't have the defensive execution mentally to get to our spots consistently in the second half. I don't think either team played the way they wanted defensively. We just need to get back to the basics. It was disappointing, but our legs just weren't there." - UNCW Head Coach C.B. McGrath.
 
NEXT UP: The Seahawks return home for a string of four consecutive home games, beginning with a pairing on Thursday, Jan. 24, vs. William & Mary. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.



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