WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Graduate student guard Sierra DaCosta anchored four UNCW players in double figures with a game-high 20 points as the Seahawks downed Wingate, 66-54, in exhibition women's basketball action at Trask Coliseum on Friday evening.
 
DaCosta, one of seven transfers on the UNCW roster, knocked down 7-of-13 shots from the floor, including a 5-for-8 showing from beyond the arc, while adding five rebounds and four assists.
 
Redshirt senior guard Dazia Powell chipped in 16 points off the bench after shooting 6-for-9 from the field, including a 2-for-3 effort from three-point range.
 
Sophomore guard Mary McMillan and redshirt senior forward Micah Hoggatt each added 10 points for the Seahawks, who shot 46.4 percent from the field. McMillan also dished out six assists, while Hoggatt grabbed a team-high five rebounds.
 
Wingate was led by junior forward Bryanna Troutman, who registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Sullivan and junior guard Jaia Wilson each contributed eight points.
 
Key Moment: Leading by a 33-27 margin at the intermission, UNCW began to pull away in the early stages of the second half with a 10-2 run over a four-minute span. Wingate pulled to within 58-49 midway through the fourth quarter before the Seahawks scored eight of the final 13 points to end the game.
 
Game Notes:

• The Seahawks have now won six straight exhibition contests, upping their all-time exhibition record to 20-13.
• UNCW forced Wingate to commit 24 turnovers, which the Seahawks turned into 20 points.
• Wingate outrebounded UNCW by a 33-32 margin with each team collecting 11 offensive rebounds.
• Hoggatt, DaCosta and graduate student guard Allie Best each grabbed five rebounds in the win for UNCW.
• Led by DaCosta, the Seahawks shot 9-for-20 from three-point range.
• The teams combined to shoot 15-for-23 from the free throw line.

 
Up Next: The regular season begins for the Seahawks on Wednesday, Nov. 10, when they welcome NCAA Division II opponent Mount Olive to Trask Coliseum at 7 p.m.

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