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Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks Resume CAA Action With Phoenix

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW men's basketball team puts its longest winning streak in six seasons on the line Wednesday night (Jan. 12, 2022) when Elon visits Trask Coliseum for a 7 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association start.
 
UNCW, 7-5 overall and 1-0 in the CAA, has reeled off four straight victories, the club's longest string since a seven-gamer at the end of the 2016-17 season. Wednesday's clash with the Phoenix is the first of eight games in January for the Seahawks.
 
The matchup will be carried locally on The Breeze 95.9 FM and aired on the CAA's streaming partner, FloHoops.com. Play-by-play voice Mike Vaccaro and color analyst Marty Feurer will be on the call.
 
"Elon is a well-coached team that does a very good job on both ends of the floor," said Takayo Siddle, UNCW's second-year leader who directs his 30th game with the program. "We have to guard the three-point line. They're one of the best three-point shooting teams in our league and the country. On the defensive end, they make it tough for you. We'll have to have a good game plan on both ends of the floor."
 
The Seahawks have not played since a narrow 70-68 victory over Delaware on Dec. 29, 2021, at Trask Coliseum and face an emerging Elon club that reached the CAA Championship game for the first time in 2021.
 
"We're very excited about getting back going again," added Siddle, "We were playing at a high level before the pause. Our guys are excited about working together and getting ready for the game."
 
The Seahawks stand 5-1 at Trask Coliseum this season, losing only to Norfolk State, 74-69, back on Dec. 1, 2021. UNCW has won three in a row on its home floor against Mount Olive, Campbell and Delaware since the defeat to the Spartans early last month. Siddle owns an 8-5 record in two seasons on his home floor.
 
The Phoenix, 4-11 and 1-1, are coming off a 65-61 loss to Charleston's Cougars early Sunday at TD Arena. Playing its CAA road opener, the Phoenix started slowly before rallying in the final five minutes. Elon wound up shooting 39 percent and committing 17 turnovers, including a critical one on the final possession. The Phoenix have lost three of its last four games and remain winless in six tries on the road this season.
 
In the last game between the Seahawks and Phoenix, Elon junior guard Kris Wooten's three-pointer as time expired lifted the Phoenix to a 80-77 triumph in the regular season finale for both teams on Feb. 27, 2021. The Phoenix jumped ahead 20-3 in the first five minutes before the Seahawks roared back to grab the advantage several times in the second half. With the game knotted at 77-all, Wooten delivered the game-winner at the buzzer, setting off a wild celebration at mid-court by the Phoenix.
 
Elon is led by the explosive guard triumvirate of Darius Burford, Hunter McIntosh and Zac Ervin. Burford leads the club in scoring (12.2 ppg) followed by McIntosh (12.1 ppg) and Ervin (9.5 ppg).
 
The Seahawks are well aware of Ervin's shooting expertise. The long-range marksman torched the Seahawks for 27 points behind 9-of-13 shooting and 7-of-12 behind the arc in his only game against UNCW on Jan. 11, 2020, at the Schar Center in Elon.
 
The Seahawks and Phoenix have had only one common opponent this season: High Point. UNCW edged HPU, 71-69, in an overtime thriller on Dec. 18, 2021, at the Quebein Center, while Elon lost 83-77 to the Panthers in Elon on Dec. 4, 2020.
 
The Seahawks open a three-game road trip on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, with a visit to TD Arena and a matchup with Charleston and new head coach Pat Kelsey. UNCW then eyes contests at James Madison (Jan. 20) and Towson (Jan. 22).
 
UNCW-ELON Net Notes
  • Wednesday's game marks the 26th meeting between the two schools and the 15th as Colonial Athletic Association foes. Elon leads the all-time series, 13-12, and has taken the last three contests. The two clubs have split 14 games since the Phoenix joined the CAA in 2014-15.
     
  • The Seahawks have won seven of the 10 meetings between the two schools at Trask Coliseum. UNCW won the first four matchups in Wilmington after Elon joined the CAA in 2014-15, but the Phoenix has taken three in a row at Trask. UNCW's last win at home over Elon came on Feb. 15, 2018.
     
  • Siddle has retooled the Seahawk lineup. Only four players - Jamahri Harvey, Mike Okauru, Shykeim Phillips and Jaylen Sims - were on the roster for UNCW's 80-77 loss to the Phoenix on Feb. 27, 2021.
     
  • Siddle and Elon's Mike Schrage each have connections to Ohio State Head Coach Chris Holtmann. Siddle served three years as an assistant coach under Holtmann at Gardner-Webb during the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Schrage worked as an aide for Holtmann at Butler (2016-17) and Ohio State (2017-18, 2018-19) before taking over at Elon.
     
  • The Seahawks are a perfect 4-0 against in-state teams in 2021-22. Wednesday's clash with Elon marks the fifth of six games against North Carolina opponents this season.
     
  • With 954 points in his collegiate career, graduate guard Jaylen Fornes is closing in on a personal milestone. The Pamlico County product needs just 46 points to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Fornes has scored 759 points in 103 games with the Seahawks and netted 195 points in 21 appearances at Nicholls State.
For complete coverage of UNCW Men's Basketball, follow the Seahawks on the official home of UNCW Athletics, UNCWSports.com, or through our social media channels: @UNCWmenshoops (Twitter), facebook.com/UNCWMensBasketball (Facebook), @UNCWBasketball (Instagram).


 
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Players Mentioned

Jaylen Sims

#30 Jaylen Sims

G
6' 6"
Sophomore
Shykeim Phillips

#2 Shykeim Phillips

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

G
6' 3"
Junior
Jamahri Harvey

#10 Jamahri Harvey

G
6' 5"
Sophomore
Jaylen Fornes

#1 Jaylen Fornes

G
6' 3"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Jaylen Sims

#30 Jaylen Sims

6' 6"
Sophomore
G
Shykeim Phillips

#2 Shykeim Phillips

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

6' 3"
Junior
G
Jamahri Harvey

#10 Jamahri Harvey

6' 5"
Sophomore
G
Jaylen Fornes

#1 Jaylen Fornes

6' 3"
Graduate Student
G