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Men's Basketball Joe Browning

Seahawks Cap Non-Conference Slate With Camels

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The sizzling UNCW men's basketball team ties a bow on its non-conference schedule and concludes the pre-Christmas portion of the slate with an afternoon road matchup against longtime rival Campbell on Wednesday (Dec. 21).
 
The Seahawks, 9-3, take on the Camels, 5-6, for the 108th time overall and only the seventh occasion at Gore Arena in Buies Creek. It's the second straight Big South Conference opponent for the Seahawks.
 
UNCW has reeled off eight consecutive victories heading into the Wednesday matinee. The Seahawks turned back High Point, 85-82, in their last outing early Sunday at Trask Coliseum.
 
The UNCW-CU clash may be heard on 95.9 FM The Breeze, with play-by-play voice Mike Vaccaro on the call, beginning at 1:45 p.m. Video is available on ESPN+.
 
The Camels and 10th year head coach Kevin McGeehan, who join the Colonial Athletic Association for the 2023-24 season, rely on a Princeton-style offense that leads to back door layups and kick outs for open three-point field goal attempts.
 
"We will have to take the back cut away and contest the three-point shot," said third-year UNCW Head Coach Takayo Siddle. "Hopefully our guys can lock in and execute our defensive scouting report. We're excited about Campbell coming into the league. I think they'll be a very good addition to the CAA."
 
UNCW made its debut in two Mid-Major Top 25 polls on Monday, The Seahawks check in at No. 20 in the CollegeInsider.com rankings and No. 24 in the CBBReview.com poll.
 
Wednesday marks the 108th meeting between the rivals since the series originated in the fall of 1952. UNCW leads the series, 63-44, including a commanding 43-13 advantage in NCAA Division I play. The Seahawks have won three in a row, six of the last seven and seven of the last 10 clashes.
 
In last year's installment of the extended series, UNCW started and ended with a flourish in a 65-58 victory over the Camels on Dec. 22, 2021, in Wilmington. Jaylen Sims of UNCW poured in a season high 23 points to pace all scorers in the contest. The result was still in doubt with four minutes remaining after UNCW's Mike Okauru wiped out a seven-point Campbell lead with seven straight points in a 9-0 spurt that gave the Seahawks a 56-53 edge with 3:50 left to play. Okauru wound up with 15 of his 17 points in a decisive second half.
 
In the last visit to Buies Creek, Okauru led four players in double figures with 17 points as UNCW handcuffed Campbell, 78-59, on Dec. 21, 2020. Okauru converted 6-of-11 field goals, including three trifectas, for his team high total. The Seahawks limited the Camels to just 19 points in the first half – the lowest by a UNCW opponent in the first period all season – and then halted several runs by the Camels.
 
Campbell, 3-1 on its home floor, suffered a heartbreaking 54-53 loss at Georgia Southern last Saturday. Tai Strickland flipped in an off-balance one-hander in the paint with 1.8 seconds to play to lift the Eagles over the Camels at historic Hanner Fieldhouse in Statesboro, Ga. Playing in front of family and friends in his home state, senior forward Joshua Lusane led the Camels with 16 points, plus five rebounds and five assists.
 
The Seahawks are one of the hottest teams in the land. UNCW has not lost a game in more than a month (Nov. 18 at No. 2 UConn). During the streak, Siddle's club has locked up opponents with its trademark defense, limiting foes to 59.0 points per game and 38.3 percent shooting. Opposing teams have made just 26.5 percent of their three-point field goal attempts in the stretch (43-for-163).
 
The contest will feature a pair of former teammates at UW-Milwaukee. UNCW's Donovan Newby and Campbell's Jasin Sinani saw action together for the Panthers in 2021-22. Newby played two seasons at Milwaukee, starting 28 of 54 games, while Sinani opened four of 21 appearances in his lone campaign with the Panthers.
 
Following Wednesday's matchup, the Seahawks break for the Christmas holiday before returning to the floor on Wednesday, Dec. 28, with a 5 p.m. matchup at CAA newcomer Monmouth. The game at the OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch, N.J., will be carried by the CBS Sports Network.
 
OPENING TIPS: The Seahawks are 2-4 against the Camels in Gore Arena…Campbell owns a 5-1 record against the Seahawks in overtime games…Takayo Siddle is 2-0 against the Camels…Kevin McGeehan is 2-7 against UNCW in nine meetings…UNCW and CU have three common opponents – East Carolina, Jacksonville and High Point…The Seahawks are 114-72 against current Big South Conference schools…The Seahawks are 1-3 in true road games this year…Spanning over to last year, the Seahawks have won 33 of their last 40 contests…Freshman guard Noah Ross was named CAA Rookie of the Week on Monday…The Seahawks are 18-7 against the Camels in December…CAA teams stand 3-4 against Big South Conference opponents this season…Former UNCW assistant coach Monty Sanders joined the CU staff for 2022-23.
 
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

G
6' 4"
Graduate Student
Jaylen Sims

#30 Jaylen Sims

G
6' 6"
Senior
Noah Ross

#5 Noah Ross

G
6' 7"
Freshman
Donovan Newby

#55 Donovan Newby

G
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Mike Okauru

#4 Mike Okauru

6' 4"
Graduate Student
G
Jaylen Sims

#30 Jaylen Sims

6' 6"
Senior
G
Noah Ross

#5 Noah Ross

6' 7"
Freshman
G
Donovan Newby

#55 Donovan Newby

6' 1"
Junior
G