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Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks Open Western Swing In Boise

BOISE, Idaho – Two fast-paced offenses riding winning streaks meet for the first time in the City of Trees late Friday when UNCW visits Boise State for a post-Thanksgiving clash at blue and orange clad ExtraMile Arena.
 
UNCW and BSU tip at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT) at the 12,480-seat arena. It marks UNCW's debut in the Gem State.
 
The Seahawks, 5-3, have won two in a row for the first time this season after overwhelming NCAA Division III Emory & Henry, 122-66, in a record-setting night Tuesday at Trask Coliseum. Three school records fell and two others were tied in the mismatch.
 
Junior guard Mike Okauru nailed down the program's first triple double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He achieved the feat with 6:48 remaining in the second half when the Florida transfer found freshman forward Imajae Dodd down low for a basket under the tin.
 
UNCW is the playing the first portion of a western swing that will also take the Seahawks to California for a return game with Pac-12 member Stanford. The Cardinal defeated the Seahawks, 72-59, last November at Trask Coliseum.
 
Coach C.B. McGrath's club, averaging 80.2 points through eight games, faces a stiff test in the 3-2 Broncos. The home team has won two straight extra-period games vs BYU (72-68, 1OT) and Pacific (82-76, 3OT) and features four players averaging in double figures, topped by Derek Alston's 21.4 ppg average.
 
The Broncos have won 20 or more games in seven of Coach Leon Rice's nine seasons. He employs a senior-laden lineup that – like the Seahawks - pushes the ball quickly up the floor.
 
In taking on Boise State, the Seahawks cross off another state on their basketball opponent list through the years. Including the Broncos, UNCW has battled opponents in 44 of the 50 states in the country (Kansas, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana and South Dakota are the holdouts).
 
Friday's game will be carried over the air on Modern Rock 98.7 FM, with play-by-play voice Mike Vaccaro on the call. The game can be heard anywhere in the world on the station's website, www.modernrock987.com. Video will be provided on the Mountain West Network.
 
Seahawk Storylines
  • The Seahawks have only played one opponent from the Mountain West Conference. UNCW owns a 1-1 record against Wyoming, including a 62-59 overtime victory over the Cowboys in the championship game of the 2005 BCA Invitational in Laramie. The Seahawks also lost to Wyoming, 52-42, in the opening game of the 1982 Indiana Classic in Bloomington.
  • Friday's game features two players who call Germany home. UNCW sophomore forward Marten Linssen (Dusseldorff) and BSU's Robin Jorch (Berlin) live on opposite sides of Germany approximately 350 miles from each other.
  • Boise State's last two outings have been nailbiters. The Broncos topped BYU, 72-68, in overtime on Wednesday, Nov. 20, before surviving an 82-76 verdict in three overtimes vs. Pacific last Saturday in Stockton, Calif. BSU stands 2-1 on its home floor this season.
  • UNCW's offense has hit its stride of late. The Seahawks scored more points on Tuesday (122) than the previous two games combined vs. Cleveland State (46) and FIU (66). Overall, six Seahawks are shooting better than 50 percent from the floor. As a team, UNCW is connecting on 48 percent from the field.
  • The Seahawks have converted 39 more free throws than opponents and stepped to the line 44 more times than the opposition. Five players are hitting better than 70 percent at the charity stripe.
  • Sophomore guard Brent Jenkins and Dodd turned in flawless shooting nights on Tuesday. Jenkins went 7-for-7 en route to a career-high 16 points, while Dodd went a perfect 9-for-9 and poured in a career-best 22 markers.
  • This weekend's trip to Boise and Stanford is the first journey west of the Mississippi for the program since a tournament appearance three years ago in El Paso, Texas.
 
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Brent Jenkins

#22 Brent Jenkins

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Marten Linssen

#23 Marten Linssen

F
6' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

G
6' 3"
Junior
Imajae Dodd

#24 Imajae Dodd

F
6' 6"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Brent Jenkins

#22 Brent Jenkins

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Marten Linssen

#23 Marten Linssen

6' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
F
Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

6' 3"
Junior
G
Imajae Dodd

#24 Imajae Dodd

6' 6"
Freshman
F