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UNC Wilmington Athletics

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Events/Results

boggs_jmu
66
UNCW UNCW 7-17,2-9 CAA
83
Winner James Madison JMU 9-13,2-9 CAA
UNCW UNCW
7-17,2-9 CAA
66
Final
83
James Madison JMU
9-13,2-9 CAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNCW UNCW 26 40 66
James Madison JMU 40 43 83

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Joe Browning

Dukes Deal Seahawks Road Setback

HARRISONURG, Virginia – James Madison got off to a quick start and junior guard Matt Lewis scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half as the Dukes handled the Seahawks, 83-66, early Saturday in a Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball matchup at the JMU Convocation Center.
 
The Dukes snapped a seven-game losing streak to improve to 9-13 overall and 2-9 in the CAA. The Seahawks lost their second in a row and stand 7-17 and 2-9.
 
With the opening of the new Atlantic Union Bank Center scheduled for next season, it was UNCW's 34th and final appearance at the Convo.
 
"It was just a tough night for us overall," said interim head coach Rob Burke. "I did not see that coming after what we've done the last four games. Tough times don't last long, but tough people do. We just have to get home and mentally recoup.
 
"Tonight was not our night. Give them credit, they played their butts off. We have some work to do. I promise you our guys will respond."
 
Junior guard Mike Okauru of UNCW led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Sophomore guard Jaylen Sims added 11 points and junior guard Ty Gadsden had 10 for the Seahawks, who shot 40 percent on the night.
 
Lewis anchored four JMU players in double digits. Junior forward Dwight Wilson scored 16 points and snagged 12 rebounds, junior guard Darius Banks added 13 points and freshman forward Julien Wooden collected 11.
 
The Seahawks were without the services of freshman point guard Shykeim Phillips, who suffered a head injury in Friday's practice and went into concussion protocol. The Dukes capitalized on Phillips' absence, scoring 14 of the first 18 points of the game, to take control early. JMU never let the Seahawks get closer than 13 points in the second half to complete a sweep of the regular season series.
 
Lewis, who was held to two points on 1-of-3 shooting in the first half, got untracked after intermission and help thwart several comeback bids by the Seahawks, who dropped both games of a two-game weekend road swing to Towson and JMU.
 
The 6-5, 195-pound guard from Woodbridge, Va., went 6-of-9 from the floor in the final period and scored eight of JMU's first 10 points after the break to help the Dukes maintain a working margin.
 
UNCW trailed 58-36 following a Zach Jacobs bucket in the paint with 13:18 left. The Seahawks went on a 12-2 run over a 3:25 stretch, however, and closed the gap to 58-45 on Okauru's three-pointer at 10:13.
 
But Lewis responded with back-to-back baskets to increase the margin back to 62-45 and the Dukes closed out their first home win since a 21-point verdict over Charleston Southern back on Dec. 16.
 
JMU bolted out to a 40-26 lead at halftime, scoring 16 points off 12 Seahawk turnovers in the first 20 minutes of action. Eight different Dukes found the scoring column in the first half.
 
After reserve guard Quinn Richey's three-pointer staked the Dukes to a 22-6 cushion at 13:23, the Seahawks reeled off nine straight points to close the gap. A three-pointer by Okauru on the left wing closed the early deficit to 22-15 with 12:07 left in the opening period.
 
But JMU answered with three straight buckets and later took advantage of a cold spell by the Seahawks to build the margin to as many as 16 points. A pair of free throws by Banks gave JMU a 40-24 bulge at the one-minute mark.
 
A running scoop shot by Okauru with 28 ticks on the close helped the Seahawks close to within, 40-26, at the break.
 
The Seahawks return to the North Carolina coast to host Elon (Feb 6) and William & Mary (Feb. 8) in a pair of games at Trask Coliseum.
 
GAME NOTES: UNCW still owns a 41-37 advantage in the longtime series with the Dukes…The Seahawks finished with a 14-20 record against the Dukes at the Convo…The Seahawks have just seven games remaining in the regular season – five at home and two on the road…Burke used his fourth different starting lineup in as many games and the team's ninth different starting five this season…The Seahawks outrebounded the Dukes, 40-28…JMU scored 42 of its 83 points in the paint….Two players – Marten Linssen and Ty Gadsden – fouled out for the Seahawks…The Dukes had 15 steals…Freshman forward Imajae Dodd had four blocks…The Seahawks finished with 21 turnovers on the day.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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