UNC Wilmington Athletics

Col. of Charleston CC 17-15,8-10 CAA

UNCW UNCW 23-8,15-3 CAA

Col. of Charleston CC

17-15,8-10 CAA

Final

Mar. 07, 2022

UNCW UNCW

23-8,15-3 CAA

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Col. of Charleston CC	26	31	57
UNCW UNCW	28	32	60

Summary
Box Score

Bradley Pearce/UNCW OUR

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 3/8/2022 12:30:00 AM

Seahawks Reach CAA Finals For 12th Time

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senior guard Jaylen Sims poured in a game-high 26 points to power No. 2 seeded UNCW over No. 6 Charleston, 60-57, late Monday, sending the Seahawks to the finals of the 2022 CAA Men's Basketball Championship presented by Jersey Mike's at the Entertainment & Sports Arena.

The Seahawks, 23-8, reached their league-best 12^th championship game with their seventh victory in the last eight contests. UNCW will face No. 5 seeded Delaware, 21-12, in the nationally-televised conference final on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Charleston finished its season with a 17-15 mark in Pat Kelsey's first year with the Cougars.

Sims, who led the team with 16 points in Sunday's quarterfinal victory over Elon, continued his stellar play in the tournament, adding 11 rebounds in the semifinal victory for his third double-double of the season. Graduate guard Mike Okauru contributed 11 points for the Seahawks, who held the Cougars to 57 points after Charleston put up 92 points in Sunday's quarterfinal win over Hofstra.

Graduate guard Dimitrius Underwood paced Charleston with 21 points and eight boards. Freshman forward Raekwon Horton chipped in 11 points and 10 caroms for the Cougars. Charleston was limited to 38.3 percent shooting on the night.

After UNCW inched ahead, 28-26, at halftime, no more than four points separated the two teams in the final 20 minutes. There were several lead changes down the stretch and UNCW grabbed a 58-55 edge on Okauru's runner with 59 seconds remaining.

But graduate forward John Meeks drove the right lane for a bucket just 13 seconds later to cut the deficit to 58-57. The Seahawks then missed a field goal attempt at the other end, giving the Cougars the ball and a chance at the game-winner with 11 ticks left.

Charleston delivered the ball to Meeks and the stocky Cougar drove hard to the rim into graduate guard James Baker, Jr., who drew a critical charging call with 2.4 seconds on the clock. Sims then drained both ends of a bonus situation to seal the tight win.

"It was a grind it out, physical war," said second-year UNCW Head Coach Takayo Siddle. "We knew it would be. You have to give Charleston credit. They're so touch to play because they come right at you.

"Our guys fought. Our guys deserve all the credit for that win. I know we're fatigued, but we dug in and got that one."

UNCW started off quickly, building a nine-point lead, but had to settle for a 28-26 edge at intermission after Charleston had the best of it over the final 10 minutes of the first period.

Freshman guard Trazarien White was the catalyst early for the Seahawks, scoring six of the team's first eight points while the Cougars managed just one of their first nine field goal attempts. A three-pointer by Sims with 15:13 left in the first half gave UNCW a nine-point cushion, 11-2.

Charleston chipped away at the deficit and got the lead down to one point on two occasions. A Meeks free throw with 2:49 on the clock narrowed the deficit to 22-21 until Sims drained another trey to push the advantage to 28-23 with 12 seconds left in the half. Reyne Smith's three free throws with 3.2 seconds to go, however, kept the Cougars within striking distance at intermission.

GAME NOTES: UNCW defeated Charleston three times this season…The Seahawks are now 4-0 against Charleston in the CAA Tournament…The Seahawks shot 39.6 percent from the floor…Charleston held the rebounding edge, 41-31, with 17 offensive rebounds…There were seven ties and 10 lead changes in the contest…The Seahawks have won more games 43 than any other school in the CAA Tournament… The Seahawks are 12-11 lifetime in the semifinals… The No. 2 seed has fashioned a record of 60-28 in CAA Tournament play and gone 20-13 in semifinal games….The Seahawks are competing in their 37th CAA Tournament and own a record of 43-30 in the tourney with more victories than any other school in the event….UNCW is 10-5 overall as the No. 2 seed in the CAA Tournament.

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