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UNC Wilmington Athletics

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Events/Results

phillips_shy_ud
69
Winner UNCW UNCW 21-8,15-3 CAA
62
Delaware UD 19-11,10-7 CAA
Winner
UNCW UNCW
21-8,15-3 CAA
69
Final
62
Delaware UD
19-11,10-7 CAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNCW UNCW 26 43 69
Delaware UD 23 39 62

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Joe Browning

Seahawks Close Regular Season With Flourish

NEWARK, Del. – Displaying the same gritty, unselfish play that has been its trademark all season, UNCW clinched at least a share of the Colonial Athletic Association regular season championship with a 69-62 victory over host Delaware in the finale for both teams early Saturday at the Bob Carpenter Center.
 
The surging Seahawks matched the school record for CAA regular season victories with a 15-3 ledger and stand 21-8 overall. The Blue Hens dropped their second straight and ended the regular season at 19-11 and 10-7.
 
"We're champions again," a pleased head coach Takayo Siddle declared following a water bath in the celebratory Seahawk lockerroom. "My vision was for us to get back up to the top of the league…we want to stay there.
 
"Those 14 guys in the lockerroom are high-character guys. They are a tough, gritty group. They completely bought into what we're doing with the program and they deserve this championship."
 
All eyes will be on SECU Arena on Monday when Towson, 14-3, meets the Blue Hens in the resumption of a game postponed on Jan. 27, 2022, due to unsafe court conditions. Delaware leads, 38-29, with 18:42 remaining. A Towson victory gives the Tigers a share of the title and the top seed for next week's CAA Tournament. A Delaware win means the Seahawks have sole possession of first place at the conclusion of all regular season games.
 
The Seahawks, winners of five of their last six outings, were picked to finish ninth in the CAA's preseason poll and defied the pundits with one of the best seasons in Seahawk history, becoming the eighth team in the school's annals to reach 20 wins.
 
Junior guard Shykeim Phillips led the way in Saturday's contest with a team-high 16 points for the Seahawks, who shot 28 percent in the first half and bounced back with an impressive 56.5 percent in the key final period. Junior forward Amari Kelly came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points, senior guard Jaylen Sims added 12 and graduate guard James Baker, Jr., chipped in 12.
 
Freshman Jayre Davis of Delaware led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Junior guard Jameer Nelson, Jr.., collected 12 points and sophomore guard Andrew Carr finished with 10.
 
The Seahawks trailed early before regrouping for a three-point advantage at halftime and putting on a clinic after intermission. UNCW led by as many as 14 points down the stretch and closed out the sweep of the Blue Hens on their home court.
 
Leading 26-23 at the break, the Seahawks scored the first six points of the final period for a 32-23 cushion with 17 minutes remaining and extended the margin to 49-35 when Jaylen Fornes fired in a three-pointer with 9:42 on the clock.
 
Delaware got no closer than six points the rest of the way as the Seahawks went a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line over the final 2:33 to nail down the win. UNCW went 23-of-25 at the free throw line in the contest.
 
UNCW took a 26-23 edge into halftime after struggling from the field. The Seahawks shot just 28.1 percent on 9-of-32 shooting in the opening frame, but used a late spurt over the last five minutes to head into the half with the lead.
 
A 7-0 run by the Blue Hens, capped by Andrew Carr's transition basket with 5:37 left in the first half, put Delaware in control, 19-14, before the Seahawks came alive.
 
Kelly gave the Seahawks a big lift in the last five minutes of half as the Seahawks outscored the Blue Hens, 12-4, over the last 5:23. Kelly scored four of his six first-half points in the rally and the Seahawks forged ahead at the end of the period.
 
The Seahawks next begin preparations for the 2022 CAA Men's Basketball Championship on Mar. 5-7, 2022, at the Sports & Entertainment Center in Washington, D.C. Pairings will be announced in the coming days by CAA officials.
 
GAME NOTES: The Seahawks won the rebounding battle, 37-26…UNCW scored 14 points off 15 Delaware turnovers…Four Seahawks had five or more rebounds…Phillips had four steals to give him nine in the two-game road trip…Five Seahawks did not miss a free throw…UNCW leads the all-time series, 25-18…The Seahawks are 7-11 at the Bob Carpenter Center…UNCW snapped a three-game losing streak to the Blue Hens on their home court…UNCW finished with a 9-5 record in true road games…Combined with a 70-68 victory on Dec. 29, 2022, the Seahawks completed a sweep of the regular season series with the Blue Hens…UNCW finished with a 6-2 record in road conference games.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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