UPPER MARLBORO, Maryland - Fifth-seeded UNCW shook off a cold start to knock off No. 12 seed Georgia State, 66-59, in first round action at the Virginia 529 College Savings Plan Colonial Athletic Association Women's Basketball Championship Thursday at Show Place Arena.

The Seahawks improved to 19-11 overall and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they will face No. 4 seed Hofstra Friday at 2:30 p.m. The Panthers saw their season come to a close with an 8-22 final mark.

Sophomore Abria Trice scored 15 points, 13 of which came in the second half, to lead a UNCW attack that shot just 33.3 percent from the floor for the contest. Junior Tawanna Lee and sophomore Alisha Andrews chipped nine points each while junior Karneshia Garrett added eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds as the Seahawks held a commanding 51-38 edge on the glass.

Senior Chan Harris tallied 18 points and added 10 rebounds in her collegiate finale to lead Georgia State. Junior Jerlisa Taylor added 10 points while Ashley Watson finished with eight.

UNCW made its first two shots of the game to take a 4-0 lead just 46 seconds into the contest, only to go the next 11 minutes without a field goal as the Panthers built an 11-4 edge.

Andrews would finally break the cold streak with a three-pointer at the 8:06 mark to make it an 11-7 game.

The two sides would trade baskets over the next three minutes until, with the score 17-15 in favor of Georgia State, a layup by junior Chelsea McGowen sent UNCW on a 15-6 run that gave the Seahawks a 30-23 lead at the break.

The Seahawks continued their strong play early in the second half, scoring five of the first seven points of the frame to take its largest lead of the game, 35-25.

Back-to-back baskets by Paulk moments after the Seahawks spurt ignited a 10-3 stretch that would last more than six minutes and pull the Panthers within three, 40-37, at the 12:33 mark of the frame.

UNCW would waste little time re-gaining its double-figure lead, using a pair of free-throws by Trice to start a 9-2 stretch that gave the Seahawks a 49-39 cushion with 8:05 on the clock.

The Seahawks would maintain a two-possession lead over the next six minutes until Georgia State made one last push, scoring six of seven points over a 1:52 span to trim the UNCW advantage to three, 62-59, with 39 seconds on the clock.

That would as close as the Panthers would get, however, as Trice and Garrett converted all four of its free-throw opportunities to determine the seven-point margin of victory.

 GAME NOTES:

• UNCW improved to 9-7 all-time against Georgia State as it picked up its fourth straight victory against the Panthers. The contest was the first of the program's 16 meetings to take place in the postseason.
• The Seahawks improved to 14-27 all time in the CAA Women's Basketball Championship and moved to 5-4 in first-round contests as it won its fourth straight first-round tilt.
• UNCW pulled down a season-high 51 rebounds against the Panthers, breaking the old mark of 48 set against William and Mary (Feb. 5).
• The Seahawks improved to 14-1 this season and 32-4 under Cooper-Dyke when leading at halftime.
• UNCW improved to 12-0 this season and 32-3 under Cooper-Dyke when holding a lead of 10 points or more during a contest.
• Georgia State held a 30-20 edge in points in the paint, including a 22-10 advantage in the second half.
• UNCW moved to 5-10 this season and 11-16 under Cooper-Dyke when shooting under 40 percent from the floor.
• The Seahawks held an opponent to less than 40 percent shooting for the 12th time this season and improved to 10-2 when doing so.
• UNCW recorded double-figure assists for the 28th time this season as it finished with 14 assists.
• The Seahawks failed to record double-figure steals for the 13th time this season as it finished with just seven thefts against the Panthers. Georgia State, who entered the game first in the league in steals per game (10.5), finished with just eight thefts.
• UNCW had just one player reach double figures for the third time this season and improved to 1-2 when doing so.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

4 - Alisha Andrews

• Moved into third place on the program's all-time assists list with her seven helpers against the Panthers. Surpassed Jennifer Kapper for fourth place during the contest (309).
• Led team in assists for the 20th time this season and the 44th time in her career.

10 - Abria Trice

• Reached double figures in points for the 15th time this season and the fifth time in the past six games.
• Led team in scoring for the eighth time this season.

40 - Karneshia Garrett

• Reached double figures in rebounds for the eighth time this season.
• Led team in rebounding for the 16th time this season.