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Men's Basketball Brandon Sans

MBB Fan Guide: Lees-McRae

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The UNCW men's basketball team continues preparations for the 2026-27 season with a three-game exhibition slate beginning on Sunday at 2 p.m. vs. NCAA Division II Lees-McRae at Trask Coliseum.
 
GAME COVERAGE
UNCW Seahawks vs. Lees-McRae Bobcats
Gametime: 2 p.m.
Gates Open: 12:30 p.m.
Promotion: Special $9.10 Tickets
           
SERIES INFO
Sunday will be the first match-up between UNCW and Lees-McRae. 
 
WELCOME BACK
UNCW returns six players from last season's Coastal Athletic Association regular season squad headlined by 2025 All-CAA First Team center Patrick Wessler. Wessler, the league's top returning scorer (13.6), paced the league with 17 double-doubles last season.

Graduate guard CJ Luster II returns to action after missing all of 2025-26 with an injury. A 2025-26 Preseason First Teamer, Luster joined the Seahawks one year ago after an All-CAA season at Stony Brook, where he shot 42.1 percent from three-point range and started all 32 games in 2024-25 for the Seawolves.

Seniors Jahnathan Lamothe and Gavin Walsh are back after missing parts of last season with injury, along with junior Makel Smith and sophomore Matija Prodanovic, to round out the 2026-27 returners.

NEW TO THE NEST
Guards Xavier Brown (South Florida) and Treyvon Maddox (Miami) are part of a six-player transfer class that includes forwards Spencer Elliott (Charlotte) and Tyler Nelson (Navy) along with guards William Kermoury (Northeastern) and Tahlan Pettway (Western Carolina).

Wilmington products Kellum Brown of New Hanover High School and William Seward of John T. Hoggard High School, along with guard Tamarion Siddle, also joined the program as freshmen.

PANEL SET FOR NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS
This year's Night of Champions panel features Seahawk alums spanning four eras of championship excellence: Bill Mayew, Brett Blizzard, Craig Ponder and Shykeim Phillips. The four UNCW legends will join together with moderator and famed ESPN college basketball bracketologist Joe Lunardi to share stories, insights and memories from exciting chapters of Seahawk history.

The second-annual Night of Champions, a newly imagined spin on UNCW's longtime tip-off dinner, will introduce the 2026-27 team and staff and celebrate the program's championship history and proud tradition. Proceeds from the 7 p.m. dinner, featuring a 6 p.m. VIP cocktail hour for select sponsors, will benefit UNCW men's basketball.

Click here to read more.

NOW AIRING: THE STANDARD
Relieve the Seahawks' successful summer with The Standard, a seven-part miniseries documenting program pillars featuring behind-the-scenes footage and exculsive commentary from head coach Takayo Siddle and players.

Click here to watch.

MEN'S HOOPS EARNS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
The UNCW men's basketball program has been recognized by the Coastal Athletic Association with Academic Excellence Awards for posting the highest team grade point averages among conference schools in its sport.

The CAA Academic Excellence Awards recognize the team in each conference-sponsored sport that records the highest cumulative grade point average during the academic year. Men's basketball finished the 2025-26 academic year with a 3.25 GPA.

Click here to read more.

SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
Lees-McRae, an NCAA Division II program, went 10-18 and 7-13 in Conference Carolinas in 2025-26.

ON THE DOCKET
The Seahawks hit the road for the only time this preseason when they travel to High Point next Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip-off with the Big South Champion Panthers, who advanced to the Second Round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament last March.
 
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Players Mentioned

Jahnathan Lamothe

#5 Jahnathan Lamothe

G
6' 4"
Senior
CJ Luster II

#3 CJ Luster II

G
6' 3"
Graduate Student
Makel Smith

#12 Makel Smith

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
Gavin Walsh

#22 Gavin Walsh

F
6' 8"
Senior
Patrick Wessler

#2 Patrick Wessler

C
7' 0"
Graduate Student
Xavier Brown

#0 Xavier Brown

G
6' 2"
Graduate Student
Tyler Nelson

#1 Tyler Nelson

F
6' 6"
Fifth Year
Tamarion Siddle

#4 Tamarion Siddle

G
6' 3"
Freshman
Treyvon Maddox

#6 Treyvon Maddox

G
6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
William Kermoury

#7 William Kermoury

G
6' 5"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Jahnathan Lamothe

#5 Jahnathan Lamothe

6' 4"
Senior
G
CJ Luster II

#3 CJ Luster II

6' 3"
Graduate Student
G
Makel Smith

#12 Makel Smith

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Gavin Walsh

#22 Gavin Walsh

6' 8"
Senior
F
Patrick Wessler

#2 Patrick Wessler

7' 0"
Graduate Student
C
Xavier Brown

#0 Xavier Brown

6' 2"
Graduate Student
G
Tyler Nelson

#1 Tyler Nelson

6' 6"
Fifth Year
F
Tamarion Siddle

#4 Tamarion Siddle

6' 3"
Freshman
G
Treyvon Maddox

#6 Treyvon Maddox

6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
G
William Kermoury

#7 William Kermoury

6' 5"
Senior
G