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Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks Conclude CAA Homestand

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW men's basketball team concludes its early January Colonial Athletic Association home stand on Saturday when Towson visits Trask Coliseum for the first of two matchups this season with the Seahawks.
 
UNCW, 5-11, and Towson, 6-9, are both seeking their first conference win of the campaign after christening the CAA slate with 0-3 records. The Seahawks dropped a close 64-60 decision to James Madison on Thursday night at Trask Coliseum, while the Tigers fell to Charleston, 81-69, at TD Arena.
 
With one day to prepare for a talented Towson squad, third-year UNCW head coach C.B. McGrath said his young team will be ready for the challenge.
 
"Our practices have been great and high energy," he said following Thursday's game. "Our guys are ready for the next game. Giving young players a lot of information to prepare in a short amount of time is difficult, but they'll be ready to play."
 
JMU built a double digit lead in the second half and survived a late charge by UNCW in Thursday's CAA home debut. The Dukes, sitting in a tight zone defense, held the Seahawks to 27.6 percent shooting in the first half and 39 percent overall.
 
Junior guard Matt Lewis, a preseason First-Team All-CAA selection, anchored three players in double figures with 15 points for JMU, which shot 47.1 percent. Sophomore forward Marten Linssen recorded his first career double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Seahawks. The point total was also a career high for the CAA's field goal percentage leader, who went 9-of-13 from the floor.
 
Sophomore guard Jaylen Sims scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds and junior guard Mike Okauru contributed 11 points for UNCW.
 
The Tigers, meanwhile, lost their third game in a row as senior guard Grant Riller of Charleston torched the Tigers for 28 points in Charleston. Senior forward Nakye Sanders posted a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds and sophomore guard Allen Betrand added 19 markers for Towson, which converted just 7-of-28 from long distance.
 
Senior guard Brian Fobbs enters Saturday's 7 p.m. start as the team's leading scorer at 15.1 ppg. Betrand is also averaging 12.9 ppg for the Tigers, who stand 1-3 on the road this season.
 
Sims, from Charlotte, N.C., tops the Seahawks in several statistical categories, including scoring (14.0), minutes (475), field goals (42) and total points (224). He has led the team in scoring nine times this season.
 
Linssen has topped the Seahawks in scoring in all three CAA outings, collecting 15 points at Delaware, 15 at Drexel and 19 in Thursday's matchup with the Dukes. Linssen leads the CAA in field goal percentage, connecting on 66 percent of his shots.
 
The Seahawks stand 4-4 on their home floor this season, beating Johnson & Wales, Campbell, N.C. Wesleyan and Emory & Henry. UNCW has lost to North Carolina, Mercer, Charlotte and James Madison.
 
The contest will be carried over the air on The Breeze, 95.9 FM, with play-by-play voice Mike Vaccaro on the call. The game may be heard worldwide on the station's website, www.959thebreeze.com. A live video stream will be available on FloSports.com.
 
Seahawk Storylines
  • UNCW and Towson are meeting for the 41st time overall and the 18th time at Trask Coliseum. The Seahawks own a 24-16 advantage in the series and have won 14 of the 17 games in Wilmington.
     
  • The Seahawks are 21-12 against the Tigers since Towson joined the CAA in 2001.
  • UNCW and TU are squaring off for the 22nd time in January. The Seahawks are 12-9 vs. the Tigers in January through the years.
  • In the last meeting between the two clubs, Fobbs sank a pair of free throws with 5.3 seconds remaining and Towson survived a last-second runner by Kai Toews to escape with a 77-76 decision over UNCW on Jan. 31, 2019, at Trask Coliseum. Fobbs led all scorers with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
  • Towson is one of five opponents from Maryland the Seahawks have faced through the years. UNCW has carved out a 35-26 (.574) record against Maryland teams.
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Players Mentioned

Kai Toews

#10 Kai Toews

G
6' 2"
Freshman
Marten Linssen

#23 Marten Linssen

F
6' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jaylen Sims

#30 Jaylen Sims

G
6' 6"
Sophomore
Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

G
6' 3"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Kai Toews

#10 Kai Toews

6' 2"
Freshman
G
Marten Linssen

#23 Marten Linssen

6' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
F
Jaylen Sims

#30 Jaylen Sims

6' 6"
Sophomore
G
Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

6' 3"
Junior
G