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bowen_john
Joe Browning/UNCWsports.com
73
Winner UNCW UNCW 2-1,0-0 CAA
50
Troy TROY 1-1,0-0 Sun Belt
Winner
UNCW UNCW
2-1,0-0 CAA
73
Final
50
Troy TROY
1-1,0-0 Sun Belt
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNCW UNCW 42 31 73
Troy TROY 29 21 50

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Joe Browning

Seahawks Claim Mako Medical Ashevile Title

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina – It's early in the 2020-21 season, but Takayo Siddle likes the progression of his UNCW men's basketball team.
 
The Seahawks dissected Troy early Saturday, 73-50, to capture the championship of the Mako Medical Asheville Classic at UNCA's Kimmel Arena. Coupled with a 76-68 verdict over host UNCA on Friday, UNCW wound up as the only unbeaten in the MTE event.
 
The Seahawks, 2-1, return home to complete end-of-the-semester exams before getting back in action on Monday, Dec. 7, at rival East Carolina. The Trojans,1-1, remain in the Tar Heel State to take on Wake Forest on Wednesday in Winston-Salem.
 
"I'm grateful and thankful that we had an opportunity to play three games," said Siddle. "What I learned is that we got better with each game. I told the guys that the season is long, but can you get better. I thought we took steps forward. We still have a long ways to go, but I like where we're going right now."
 
Junior guard Jaylen Sims led the Seahawks again in Saturday's title game, pumping in a career-high 29 points with nine rebounds. The Charlotte, N.C., product finished the three games in Asheville with 80 points and 20 boards, converting 22-of-35 field goals for 62.9 percent.
 
Siddle said, "Jaylen has earned the right to play well. He played really well over the course of the last four days. He did it within our offense and staying within himself. He can play five positions. His versatility is what makes him special."
 
Sims had plenty of help in Saturday's convincing win. Senior guard Ty Gadsden collected 18 points and five rebounds and senior guard Mike Okauru added 12 points and seven caroms for the Seahawks, who led by as many as 28 points late in the second half.
 
Sophomore guard Desmond Williams was the lone Troy player in double digits with 15 points. The Trojans, frustrated by UNCW's active defense, were held to 29.6 percent shooting and just 5-of-18 behind the arc.
 
UNCW, meanwhile, found its aim from long distance and drained 10-of-15 triples in the opening 20 minutes before finishing 12-of-23 from deep. Sims fired in 6-of-8 trifectas and was 12-of-18 from long range in the three games.
 
The Seahawks used their long distance marksmanship to build a 42-29 margin at halftime and after the Trojans cut the deficit to seven points, 46-39, with just over 14 minutes remaining, UNCW went on a stifling 21-0 run to put the game away.
 
Leading 46-32 after a bucket inside by sophomore forward Imajae Dodd, the Seahawks watched as Troy strung together seven straight points and a pair of free throws by Troy's Khalyl Waters closed the gap to 46-39 at 14:14.
 
The talented Sims answered with five straight points, however, on the front end of the 21-0 spurt and added a nifty basket on the left baseline to push the advantage to 67-39 at the five-minute mark. The Trojans failed to cut into the insurmountable deficit the rest of the way.
 
Playing for only the third time, the two teams started slowly before the Seahawks got untracked and caught fire behind the arc. Led by Sims, who drained 4-of-5 from deep in the first half, the Seahawks made 10-of-15 from three-point range to set the Trojans on their heels.
 
The Seahawks didn't score until a Gadsden triple at the 17-minute mark and Troy led, 9-5, after a Zay Williams bucket inside with 13 minutes left in the opening period.
 
UNCW then used a 27-7 run to break away, keyed by three-pointers from Sims, Gadsden and Okauru. Sims had 11 points in the spurt and a Dodd slam with 5:37 left in the half helped the Seahawks double up the Trojans, 32-16.
 
Troy closed the gap to 11 points, but another Sims trifecta at the 1:26 mark pushed the margin back to 42-27 before Williams answered along the baseline to narrow the deficit to 42-29 at intermission.
 
GAME NOTES: Sophomore guard Jake Boggs was in the starting lineup, but only played two minutes before going to the bench with an injury…Troy owned a slim 36-35 advantage in rebounding…UNCW finished with just seven turnovers while forcing 13 miscues…The Seahawks scored 16 points on fast break opportunities…The Seahawks have played 10 of the 12 schools in the Sun Belt Conference through the years and stand 40-40 against the league…Siddle used the same starting lineup of Sims, Gadsden, Okauru, Boggs and Harvey for the second straight outing…Sims scored 27, 24 and 29 points in the three-game Asheville stay…Former UNCW assistant Byron Jones is in his first season with the Trojans.
 
Mako Medical Asheville Classic Tournament Results
 
Friday, Nov. 27, 2020
Troy 66, Western Carolina 64
UNCW 76, UNC Asheville 68
 
Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020
UNCW 73, Troy 50
Western Carolina vs. UNC Asheville, 3:30 p.m.


 
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