WILMINGTON, North Carolina - The UNCW women's basketball team begins Colonial Athletic Association play Sunday as it squares off against James Madison in a 2 p.m. matinee at Trask Coliseum.

Seahawk Storylines

• The Seahawks (1-10) are back in action after closing out non-conference play Thursday with a 56-47 loss to visiting North Carolina A&T. Junior Jessica Freeman tallied 14 points and senior Karneshia Garrett recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds, but UNCW was unable to overcome a 34.0 percent (16-of-47) effort from the floor and 21 turnovers in the nine-point loss to the Aggies.
• Thursday's contest marks the 59th meeting between UNCW and James Madison in a series that dates back to the 1984-85 season and early days of the Colonial Athletic Association. The Dukes hold a 49-9 advantage in the all-time series and have won three straight, including a 62-53 victory in their only meeting last February in Harrisonburg, Va.
• The Seahawks begin their 28th season of competition in the Colonial Athletic Association on Sunday and hold a 7-20 mark in their previous 27 league openers. Four of those 20 setbacks to open league play have come against James Madison, who the Seahawks will begin conference play against for the fifth time in school history (1987-88, 1991-92, 1995-96 and 2007-08).
• The Seahawks have made it hard for the opposition to make shots from the field this season as opponents are making just 38.8 percent (266-of-686) of their tries from the field this season, representing the sixth-best field goal percentage defense in program history. Of UNCW's 11 opponents this season, only three (Liberty, Northern Kentucky and North Carolina A&T) have shot better than 40 percent from the field against the Seahawks.
• Senior forward Karneshia Garrett has been a force to be reckoned with on the glass during the early part of the season as she enters Sunday's contest ranked 6th in the nation in rebounds per game (12.3). Garrett has grabbed double-digit rebounds in seven of 10 games played this season, highlighted by a pair of 18-rebound performances at Wake Forest (Nov. 14) and against North Carolina Central (Nov. 28). She returned to the lineup against North Carolina A&T after missing the Richmond game due to injury and posted her fourth double-double of the season with 14 rebounds and 11 points.
• Junior guard Jessica Freeman leads the team in scoring (10.8), assists (2.6) and steals (2.0). Freeman has reached double figures in points in six of the last eight contests, including a 14-point effort in the Seahawks loss to North Carolina A&T on Thursday.
• Sophomore transfer Kelva Atkins is second on the Seahawks in scoring (10.9). Atkins, who ranks 11th in the CAA in field goal percentage (.452), has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games, including a season-high 20 points in UNCW's matchup with Charlotte on Dec. 5.

North Carolina A&T Recap

UNCW closed out non-conference play with a 56-47 setback to North Carolina A&T on Thursday.

• North Carolina A&T scored the final nine points of the game to hold off a resilent UNCW lineup that had pulled within one, 48-47, with 2:55 remaining.
• The Aggies shot 40.7 percent from the floor, becoming just the third opponent this season (Liberty, Northern Kentucky), to shoot better than 40 percent from the field against the Seahawks this season.
• UNCW out-rebounded an opponent for just the third time this season as it held a 41-29 advantage on the glass against North Carolina A&T. The 12-rebound differental was the largest for the Seahawks this season.
• The Seahawks shot below 40 percent from the floor for the sixth straight contest as it was just 16-of-47 (.340) from the field versus the Aggies.
• UNCW finished with more than 20 turnovers for the first time in eight games and just the third time this season as they ended the contest with 21 miscues.
• The two teams were a combined 8-of-33 (.242) from three-point range as UNCW was 5-of-17 (.294) while North Carolina A&T was 3-of-16 (.188).
• The game was part of the "Seahawks Tomorrow" program, which brings area elementary school kids to the game. The attendance was 4,788, the second-largest crowd to watch a women's game in school history.
• Senior Karneshia Garrett posted her fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 11 points and 14 rebounds. She grabbed double-figure rebounds for the seventh time in 10 games played this season.
• Junior Jessica Freeman scored 14 points to lead the Seahawks in scoring. She has scored in double figures in each of the last three games.
• Senior Chelsea McGowen pulled down double figure rebounds for the second straight contest as she finished with 11 boards.

Scouting James Madison

• James Madison (6-6) begins conference play on a three-game winning streak after completing a three-game homestand with victories over American (65-49), Maine (88-34) and Georgia Southern (93-44). The Dukes made short work of the opposition during the homestand, winning the three games by an average of 39.7 points.
• Senior guard Tarik Hislop leads the JMU attack with a 16.8 scoring average. She is also averaging a team-leading 3.1 assists per game and is second on the squad with 16 steals.
• Junior guard Kirby Burkholder comes into Sunday's contest looking to build off a career night against Georgia Southern that saw her pour in a career-high 27 points versus the Eagles. She is second on the team in scoring (14.9), and leads in steals (2.1) and rebounds (7.6). Burkholder also leads the team in free-throw percentage (.886) as she ranks 21st nationally in that category.
• Head Coach Kenny Brooks is in his 11th season with the Dukes program. He has led his Alma Mater to 233-101 record in that span with seven postseason appearances, including a runner up finish in the 2012 Postseason WNIT.

Series Notes Versus James Madison

Thursday's contest marks the 59th meeting between UNCW and James Madison in a series that dates back to the 1984-85 season and early days of the Colonial Athletic Association. 

• The Dukes hold a 49-9 advantage in the all-time series and have won three straight, including a 62-53 victory in their only meeting last February in Harrisonburg, Va.
• UNC Wilmington's 58 previous contests against James Madison represents the second most matchups against an

opponent in program history. In fact, the Dukes are just one of four schools (George Mason (61), William & Mary (58) and East Carolina (54)) that the Seahawks have played on more than 50 occasions during their 40-year history.

• UNCW has compiled a 5-21 mark in 26 previous matchups with James Madison at Trask Coliseum. The Seahawks were victorious in their most recent matchup against the Dukes in the Port City, recording a 70-67 victory at Trask on Feb. 14, 2010.

Half-Dollar Defense

The Seahawks are 53-0 since the start of the 2002-03 campaign when limiting the opposition to 50 points or less.

• UNCW held its first opponent to 50 points or less during the Adell Harris era with a 59-45 victory over North Carolina Central on Nov. ­­­­­28. The win also marked the first time the Seahawks had limited its opposition to fewer than 50 points since a 76-47 victory at Towson on Feb. 24, 2011.
• The last time the Seahawks lost a game in which they held their opponent to less than 50 points was a 49-44 setback at rival Campbell on Nov. 17, 2001.

Interstate 70

UNCW is 69-8 (.896) since the start of the 2000-01 campaign when it scores 70 or more points in a contest.

• The Seahawks were 10-1 in 2011-12 and are 23-2 since the start of the 2010-11 season when reaching the 70-point plateau.
• UNCW's last loss when scoring 70 or more points came in a 79-73 setback to Appalachian State in the first round of the Postseason WNIT last March.

Getting Off To a Good Start important for UNCW

The Seahawks are 68-18 (.791) since the start of the 2007-08 season when leading at halftime.

• UNCW is 1-1 this season when holding a halftime advantage. The Seahawks one loss under such circumstances came in a 63-58 setback to Charlotte on Dec. 5, a game in which they led the 49ers, 25-24, at the break.
• On the flip side, the Seahawks are just 20-60 (.250) since 2007-08 when trailing at intermission. UNCW has lost all seven games in which it has been behind at halftime this season.

Double-Digit Dominance

UNCW has benefitted from building big leads in recent years as it is a combined 68-5 (.931) since the start of the 2007-08 season when it holds a lead of 10 points or more during a contest.

• The Seahawks are 1-0 this season under such circumstances. The last time UNCW lost a game in which it led by 10 points or more came in a 63-54 setback to Eastern Michigan in the second round of the Postseason WNIT on March 21, 2011. In that game, the Seahawks lead by as many as 13 before falling by nine to the Eagles.
• The Seahawks have struggled to overcome big deficits in that same timeframe, posting an 11-67 (.141) mark during games in which they have trailed by 10 points or more. Eight of those 11 victories, however, have come since the start of the 2010-11 season.

Youth Movement

According to research conducted by the athletic communications department at St. John's University, UNCW Head Coach Adell Harris is one of the youngest Division I head coaches in the country.

• Harris is the 10th youngest head coach in the nation based on birth date, having celebrated her 32nd birthday on May 1, just two days before accepting the head coaching position at UNCW.
• Harris is the youngest coach in the CAA, but not the youngest in the state of North Carolina. That honor goes to High Point Head Coach DeUnna Hendrix. The 28-year-old is in her first season as head coach of the Panthers.

Harris, McGowen Reunited

When UNCW Head Coach Adell Harris took over the Seahawks program last May, she was already familiar with one player on her new roster from her time at Tusculum College.

• Harris coached current UNCW senior Chelsea McGowen at Tusculum during the 2009-10 season.
• Together the duo combined to lead the Pioneers to a 23-10 overall record, the South Atlantic Conference Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight.
• McGowen averaged 2.1 points and 1.7 rebounds during her freshman season before transferring to Brunswick Community College for the 2011-12 campaign.

Freeman, Lee Making Their Way Up School's Three-Point Chart

Senior Tawanna Lee and redshirt junior Jessica Freeman are both making their way up the school's career three-point field goals made chart.

• Freeman currently sits in 10th place on the all-time list with 82 three-pointers made while Lee is 15th with 62 triples converted in her career.
• Freeman surpassed Katy Walters for 10th place on the school's career three-point field goals made list (79) with her three made trifectas in UNCW's game at Northern Kentucky on Dec. 20. Freeman enters today's game needing just one more three-pointer made to catch former teammate Treasure Johnson for ninth place (83).
• Both players have been consistent from beyond the arc during their careers, with Freeman seventh (.340) and Lee 10th (.335) on the squad's chart for career three-point field goal percentage (.341). Freeman led the league in three-point field goal percentage last season (.414), while Lee was second on the squad (.336) in that category.

Seahawks Tabbed Seventh, Garrett Preseason Honorable Mention

UNCW was picked to finish seventh overall during the upcoming 2012-13 season and senior forward Karneshia Garrett was a Honorable Mention Preseason All-CAA selection.

• The Seahawks and George Mason were selected to finish seventh in a vote of the league's 11 head coaches, ahead of Towson, William & Mary and Georgia State.
• Delaware was picked to repeat as regular-season champion while James Madison was tabbed to finish second. Hofstra was picked third, followed by Drexel, Old Dominion, Northeastern, UNCW and George Mason (tie), Towson and William & Mary (tie) and Georgia State.
• Garrett earned Honorable Mention Preseason All-CAA accolades after appearing in 32 games and making 21 starts during her first season with the program in 2011-12. She averaged 9.8 points and 7.5 rebounds while pacing the team with six double-doubles.

Up Next

The Seahawks take to the road for the first time in league play on Tuesday as they travel to William & Mary for a 7 p.m. tilt against the Tribe.