WILMINGTON, North Carolina - The UNCW women's basketball team returns to action Thursday as it faces Old Dominion in a 7 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association contest at Trask Coliseum.

Seahawk Storylines

• Playing their fifth home game in six outings, the Seahawks (2-12; 1-2 CAA) will look to return to the win column after suffering a 64-51 setback to visiting Drexel on Sunday.
• Senior Karneshia Garrett tallied 11 points to lead a UNCW attack that shot 44.2 percent from the floor and 76.9 percent (10-of-13) from the free-throw line, but the Dragons committed just five turnovers and took advantage of a 26-point performance from Preseason All-CAA selection Hollie Mershon to remain undefeated in league play.
• UNCW has struggled to rebound the basketball this season as it ranks 10th in the CAA in rebounding margin (-4.9). The Seahawks have been out-rebounded by their opponent in all but three of its 14 games this season, but did post a positive rebounding margin (33-to-25) in its victory at William & mary on Jan. 8.
• The Seahawks have made it hard for the opposition to make shots from the field this season as opponents are making just 38.4 percent (331-of-863) of their tries from the field this season, representing the fourth-best field goal percentage defense in program history. Of UNCW's 14 opponents this season, only five (Liberty, NKU, North Carolina A&T, William & Mary and Drexel) have shot better than 40 percent from the field against the Seahawks.
• UNCW has shot better from the floor in its last two games as it made 42 of 90 attempts from the floor in its contests against William & Mary and Drexel last week, highlighted by a season-best 48.9 percent (23-of-47) effort in its victory against the Tribe on Jan. 8. The Seahawks have struggled to shoot the ball this season as they have made just 35.9 percent (273-for-761) of its field goal attempts in 2012-13, ranking 10th in the CAA in that category.
• Senior forward Karneshia Garrett has been a force to be reckoned with on the glass this season as she enters Sunday's contest 20th in the nation in rebounds per game (10.9). She has grabbed double-digit rebounds in seven of 13 games played this season, highlighted by a pair of 18-rebound performances at Wake Forest (Nov. 14) and against North Carolina Central (Nov. 28). Garrett has led the team in rebounds on nine occasions this season.
• Junior guard Jessica Freeman leads the team in scoring (10.6) and steals (2.3) and ranks second in assists (2.4). Freeman has served as an iron-woman of sorts for the Seahawks this season, having played all 40 minutes in six games, including each of the last five contests, to rank second in the league in minutes played per game (35.9).
• Sophomore transfer Kelva Atkins leads the Seahawks in assists (2.7) and is second in scoring (10.6). Atkins, who ranks 11th in the CAA in field goal percentage (.453), has scored in double figures in six of the last 11 games, including a season-high 20 points in UNCW's matchup with Charlotte on Dec. 5.

Drexel Recap

UNCW moved to 2-12 overall and 1-2 in league play with a 64-51 setback to visiting Drexel on Sunday.

• Drexel senior Hollie Mershon poured in a season-high 26 points to lead all scorers as the Dragons were 24-of-58 (.414) from the floor, including 9-of-23 (.391) from three-point range. The 5-10 shooter matched her season high and scored the most points by an opponent this season against the Seahawks, connecting on 10-of-14 from the floor, including 6-of-8 from behind the arc.
• Senior forward Karneshia Garrett was the lone player in double digits for UNCW with 11 points, while senior forward Chelsea McGowen added five points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
• The contest featured a total of just one tie and three lead changes as Drexel took the lead for good at the 17:05 mark of the first half. The Seahawks would pull within one possession on five occasions in the first half, but got no closer than four points over the final 20 minutes.
• The Seahawks shot above 40 percent from the floor for the second straight contest and fourth time this season as they were 19-of-43 (.442) from the field. UNCW's post players combined to make 10-of-13 field goal attempts against the Dragons, but the Seahawk guards were a combined 10-of-30 from the field.
• The Seahawks were just 3-of-15 from three-point range as they shot below 30 percent from beyond the arc for the 12th time this season.
• UNCW also established a new season-high at the charity stripe, shooting 10-of-13 (.769) from the free-throw line.
• The Seahawks finished with a season-low three steals as the Dragons committed just five turnovers in the contest. UNCW ended the game with 13 turnovers, which Drexel turned into 20 points.
• Drexel held a slim 32-30 margin on the glass, but grabbed 15 offensive rebounds that they turned into 18 second-chance points.

Scouting Old Dominion

• Old Dominion (11-4; 2-1 CAA) begins a stretch of three of four away from home Thursday after suffering a 63-46 setback at home to preseason favorite Delaware last Sunday.
• The Lady Monarchs have done a good job of out-scoring their opposition this season, ranking second in the league in scoring margin (+10.8). ODU has struggled on the glass, however, sitting in last place on the circuit in rebounding margin (-6.7).
• Senior guard Jackie Cook paces the Lady Monarch attack, ranking eighth in the CAA in points per game (14.5). Cooke stands among the league leaders in field goal (.474/8th), 3-point field goal (.339/13th) and free-throw percentage (.729/7th).
• Sophomore Shae Kelly is second on the team in scoring (12.2) and leads the team in both rebounding (7.5) and steals (2.5). Kelly is in her first season with the program after transfering from Northwest Florida State College, where she averaged 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds on her way to earning Junior College All-American status in 2011-12.
• 2011-12 CAA Rookie-of-the-Year Ashley Betz-White leads the team in assists (2.7) and ranks sixth in the league in steals (2.3). Betz-White is also fifth in the team in scoring (6.2).
• Karen Barefoot is in her second season as Head Coach of the Lady Monarchs. The former ODU assistant compiled an 11-21 mark in her first season back in the Tidewater region.

Series Notes Versus Old Dominion

• Thursday's contest marks the 45th meeting between UNCW and Old Dominion.
• The Lady Monarchs have dominated the series since its inception, winning all but one of the previous 44 meetings between the two schools since joining the CAA in 1991-92.
• The Seahawks picked up their first victory in the series last season, posting a 76-54 win at the Ted Constant Center on Jan. 22 before the Lady Monarchs evened the season series with a 59-57 victory at Trask Coliseum on Feb. 12.
• UNCW is winless against Old Dominion in 19 previous matchups versus the Lady Monarchs in Wilmington. The Seahawks have come close in recent contests, falling to ODU by margins of nine, three and two points in their last three tilts at Trask Coliseum.

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 21-62 (.253) since 2007-08 when trailing at intermission. UNCW picked up its first win under such circumstances this season with its victory at William & Mary, overcoming a 23-22 halftime deficit to pick up the win.

Double-Digit Dominance

UNCW has benefitted from building big leads in recent years as it is a combined 69-5 (.932) since the start of the 2007-08 season when it holds a lead of 10 points or more during a contest.

• The Seahawks are 2-0 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 12-69 (.148) mark during games in which they have trailed by 10 points or more. Nine of those 12 victories, however, have come since the start of the 2010-11 season, including their 61-52 victory at William & Mary on Jan. 8 that saw the Seahawks erase a 14-point deficit in the second half on their way to victory.

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 a tie for 8th place on the all-time list with 84 three-pointers made while Lee is 13th with 68 treys made 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 tied with Amber Blank for eighth place (84) on the program's all-time list.
• Both players have been consistent from beyond the arc during their careers, with Lee seventh (.340) and Freeman ninth (.337) on the squad's chart for career three-point field goal percentage. Freeman led the league in three-point field goal percentage last season (.414), while Lee ranks ninth in the league this season in that category (383).

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.

Seahawks Announce Signing Class

UNCW head women's basketball coach Adell Harris announced the signing of D'Asia Cain (Smynra, Ga./Campbell), Ryan Flowers (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) and Johanna McMillan (Mullica Hill, N.J./Sanford) to National Letters-of-Intent during the early signing period.

• D'Asia Cain averaged 7.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game during her junior season in helping lead Campbell to a regional championship and State Final Four appearance. She was Named MVP of the Campbell Holiday Classic last season.
• Ryan Flowers Led Millbrook to the 2011-12 Class 4A state championship, earning Most Outstanding Player accolades during the championship game. She averaged 14.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game during junior season and is a Two-time All-Capital 8 selection. Flowers led the Wildcats to Class 4A state runner-up finish as a sophomore and was a 2011 Regional All-Tournament Team selection.
• Johanna McMillan is ranked as a top 100 prospect for her position by ESPN.com. She was an Honorable Mention All-State selection following a junior season that saw her average 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. a Two-time All-Conference selection (First-team 2011-12 and Second-Team 2010-11) she has led Sanford to back-to-back DIAA State Championships (2010 & 11) and a runner-up finish in the 2012 championship. She has also helped the Warriors capture three straight D.I.S.C. titles.

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