Seahawks Put Streak On Line Vs. Pirates

WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW puts its five-game men's basketball winning streak on the line on Tuesday (Dec. 6) when longtime rival East Carolina visits Trask Coliseum for the first time since late November of 2018.

The Seahawks, 6-3, have reeled off five consecutive victories since a loss to fifth-ranked UConn in Storrs on Dec. 18, 2022. Since that loss, UNCW has rolled past NCAA Division II Mount Olive (94-47), sprinted through the Baha Mar Nassau Championship and edged regional foe Coastal Carolina.

It's the longest winning streak for the Seahawks since last year's record-setting 12-gamer that set the tone for the team's impressive run to the College Basketball Invitational crown.

The Seahawks begin a three-game homestand with Tuesday's 7 p.m. start. UNCW also plays host to Jacksonville (Dec. 10) and High Point (Dec. 18) in upcoming games at Trask.

The clash between the Seahawks and Pirates can be heard on the radio locally on 95.9 FM The Breeze. A video stream is available on the Colonial Athletic Association's streaming partner, FloHoops.

UNCW is coming off a gritty 60-58 decision at Coastal Carolina last Wednesday in Conway. The two teams went through 10 ties and nine lead changes before the result came down to the final play when Chanticleer redshirt junior Essam Mustafa's baseline jumper fell short as time expired, giving the Seahawks a win in their initial visit to the HTC Center.

The Seahawks picked up big contributions from the bench in the win. Keyed by junior guard Jahmari Harvey's 12 points, UNCW reserves outscored their counterparts, 38-6, to lift the Seahawks to their first true road win of the campaign.

Sophomore guard Trazarien White has paced the Seahawks in scoring since the opening tip of the new season and leads the club in rebounding as well with 12.0 points and 4.7 boards each contest. Shifty senior guard Shykeim Phillips ranks second in scoring at 10.1 ppg.

One of the nation's best defensive clubs one year ago, the Seahawks have picked up where they left off, limiting opponents to41.7 percent shooting and 62.2 points per game.
The two rivals last played on Dec. 7, 2020, in Greenville, when the Pirates outlasted the Seahawks, 88-78, in a back-and-forth overtime contest. In the end, ECU walked away with the victory, overshadowing a 28-point, 7-rebound performance by Seahawk great Jaylen Sims.

The Pirates last played on Friday night when they trimmed in-state opponent Campbell, 79-69, at Minges Coliseum. Second-year guard RJ Felton poured in a career-high 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting and added four rebounds to help the Pirates snap a two-game skid.

Sophomore guard Javon Small (17.7 ppg) tops three Pirates averaging in double figures. The South Bend, Ind., native dished out a career-high 11 assists in the victory over the Camels.

OPENING TIP-INS: The Seahawks lead the all-time series, 37-30…UNCW has used the same starting lineup in the last four games…UNCW Head Coach Takayo Siddle is 7-1 in games decided by three points or less since signing on in 2020-21…UNCW has won 23 of the 30 games contested at Trask Coliseum…The Seahawks have won 12 of their last 13 home contests…The Seahawks and Pirates have alternated wins and losses over the last six games in the series…ECU leads the series in December, 8-6…The Seahawks stand 41-42 against current members of the American Athletic Conference.

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Players Mentioned

#30 Jaylen Sims: G; 6' 6"; Senior

#2 Shykeim Phillips: G; 6' 2"; Senior

#13 Trazarien White: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#30 Jaylen Sims
: 6' 6"; Senior
: G

#2 Shykeim Phillips
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

#13 Trazarien White
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

UNC Wilmington Athletics

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Events/Results

Seahawks Put Streak On Line Vs. Pirates

Players Mentioned

#30 Jaylen Sims

#2 Shykeim Phillips

#13 Trazarien White

Players Mentioned

#30 Jaylen Sims

#2 Shykeim Phillips

#13 Trazarien White