Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
Coach: Kevin Keatts
Record: 25-7
Ratings and Rankings:
– Kenpom: 81
– RPI: 57
– AP/USA Today: Not ranked
Seeding: UNCW was strong throughout their CAA slate, but the Seahawks’ didn’t get much accomplished in their non-conference action. They’ll probably be slotted as a 14 seed.
Names you need to know: Chris Flemmings averaged 16.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while C.J. Bryce averaged 10 points per contest while shooting 53 percent from the floor.
Stats you need to know: The Seahawks won 11 games in a row at one point this season. They take care of the ball with a turnover rate at 16.2 percent but are among the country’s worst at putting their opponents at the free-throw line.
Big wins, bad losses: UNCW has two wins over Hoftstra, but also has two losses to teams ranked outside KenPom’s top-200 in East Carolina (209) and Radford (220). Both of those losses came in December.
How’d they get here?: The Seahawks walked along the razor’s edge in getting their bid, beating College of Charleston by two in the CAA opener, then Northeastern by three and finally needing overtime to oust Hofstra.
Outlook: The Seahawks can be dangerous offensively and have a balanced enough attack that higher-seeded opponents won’t be able to just focus on slowing one option. They’re not a high-volume or high-percentage 3-point shooting team, so they’ll need to really execute in the halfcourt to make a run.
How do I know you?: The Sehawks haven’t made the NCAA tournament in a decade, but their win over USC in the First Round of the 2002 tournament certainly was memorable.