WILMINGTON, North Carolina - The UNCW women's basketball team once again takes part in the WBCA's "Play 4Kay" program, designed to raise awareness for breast cancer research, as it hosts George Mason in a 7 p.m. contest Thursday at Trask Coliseum.

The team will once again wear all-pink uniforms for the contest, along with its traditional pink shooting shirts, socks and shoe laces for the matchup with the Patriots.

Seahawk Storylines

• UNCW (2-19; 1-9 CAA) returns to action Thursday looking to halt a losing skid that reached eight games with a 74-43 setback at James Madison on Feb. 7.
• Freshman Dana Brown tallied nine points and senior Karneshia Garrett pitched in eight for UNCW, who was limited to just 32.8 percent (15-of-46) shooting for the game, including a 6-for-24 effort from the floor in the first half. Garrett also pulled down a team-high six boards as UNCW was out-rebounded, 41-31.
• UNCW has struggled to rebound the basketball this season as it ranks 11th in the CAA and 318th in the NCAA in rebounding margin (-7.2). The Seahawks have been out-rebounded by their opponent in all but four of its 21 games this season and have been out-rebounded by an average of 10.6 boards per game during its current eight-game losing skid.
• The Seahawks have made it hard for the opposition to make shots from the field this season as opponents are making just 38.7 percent (504-of-1302) of their tries from the field this season, representing the fourth-best field goal percentage defense in program history. Of UNCW's 21 opponents this season, only eight have shot better than 40 percent from the field against UNCW.
• UNCW has struggled to shoot the basketball this season, ranking 10th in the CAA and 266th nationally in field goal percentage, making just 36.6 percent (412-of-1126) of its attempts from the floor this season. The Seahawks have shot better than 40 percent from the floor in just six of 21 games this season, but four of those performances have come in the last nine contests. (William & Mary, Drexel, Towson and Hofstra).
• Senior forward Karneshia Garrett has been a force to be reckoned with on the glass this season as she enters Thursday's contest ranked 29th in the nation in rebounds per game (10.6). She has grabbed double-digit rebounds in 11 of 20 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 has pulled down double-digit boards in four of the last five games, recording a double-double in each game she has done so.
• Garrett has also picked up her point production in recent games, averaging 13.0 points in the Seahawks' last eight contests. Garrett is shooting 48.8 percent (42-of-86) from the field during that stretch as she has reached double figures in all but one of those eight contests, highlighted by a 17-point effort against William & Mary on Jan 31.
• Junior guard Jessica Freeman leads the team in scoring (10.2) and steals (2.7) and ranks third in assists (2.3). Freeman has served as an iron-woman of sorts for the Seahawks, having played all 40 minutes in nine games this season, including eight of the last 12 contests. She ranks second in the league in minutes played per game (36.4).
• Freshman Dana Brown has been in a rhythm offensively in recent games, averaging 11.8 points over the last five contests. Brown has reached double figures in four of those five games, shooting 41.9 percent (18-of-43) from the floor in those games, including 40.0 percent (12-of-30) from three-point range, as well as 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the charity stripe.

James Madison Recap

UNCW moved to 2-19 overall and 1-9 in CAA play with a 74-43 setback at James Madison on Feb. 7.

• JMU used a trio of lengthy spurts to pull away from the Seahawks, including an 18-0 stretch that spanned more than eight minutes midway through the contest.
• Senior guard Tarik Hislop poured in a game-high 19 points to lead the James Madison attack. Hislop was one of three JMU players to reach double figures as freshman Precious Hall added 15 and junior Kirby Burkholder pitched in 10. Freshman Jazmon Gwathmey pulled down a game-high nine rebounds as the Dukes held a 41-31 advantage on the glass.
• The Seahawks failed to have a player reach double figures in points for the first time this season as freshman Dana Brown tallied nine points and senior Karneshia Garrett pitched in eight for UNCW.
• UNCW was limited to just 32.8 percent (15-of-46) shooting for the game, including a 6-for-24 effort from the floor in the first half. It marked the eighth time this season that the Seahawks had been held below 35 percent shooting in a game.
• James Madison finished the game shooting 41.0 percent (25-of-61), becoming only the seventh UNCW opponent to shoot 40 percent or better from the field against the Seahawks this season.
• Both teams shot 80 percent or better from the free-throw line as UNCW was 8-for-10 (.800) at the charity stripe while JMU knocked down 20-of-24 (.833) attempts from the line. It marked the third straight contest and the sixth time this season that the Seahawks have shot better than 70 percent at the free-throw line.
• The 31-point margin matched the eighth largest margin of defeat for the Seahawks since the start of the 2000-01 season, equaling a 77-46 setback at Radford on Dec. 29, 2007.
• UNCW has held below 50 points for the seventh time this season and the first time in five games (39 points at Delaware on Jan. 24).
• UNCW was out-rebounded for the 17th time this season and moved to 0-17 when its opponent finishes with more rebounds. It also marked the third straight game and the 12th time this season that an opponent has out-rebounded the Seahawks by double figures.
• UNCW committed 20 or more turnovers for the sixth time this season and second time in three games. James Madison only committed nine turnovers, becoming the sixth UNCW opponent to finish with fewer than 10 turnovers against the Seahawks this season.

Scouting George Mason

• George Mason (7-14; 2-8 CAA) team looks to continue its winning ways after picking up its first home victory of conference play with a 57-56 triumph versus William & Mary on Sunday.
• Senior Rahneeka Saunders has served as the focal point of the Patriots lineup this season, leading the squad in points (12.3), assists (2.8) and steals (2.1). Saunders hit the game-winning shot versus the Tribe, knocking down the decisive basket with three seconds remaining.
• Fellow senior Amber Easter paces the team in rebounding (6.4) and is second in scoring (9.0). Easter has pulled down double-digit rebounds on three occasions this season.
• The Patriots have excelled at the free-throw line this season, knocking down 74.4 percent (291-of-391) of its attempts from the charity stripe to rank second in the league in that category. Mason has made an effort to get to the free-throw line during its contests this season, attempting more than 20 free throw on 12 occasions in 2012-13.
• Jeri Porter is in her fifth season with the Patriots. The former Radford and North Alabama head coach is in search of her 50th victory with the program on Thursday.

Series Notes Versus George Mason

• Sunday's contest marks the 62nd meeting between UNCW and George Mason in a series that dates back to the founding of the Colonial Athletic Association in 1984-85.
• The Patriots hold a 33-28 advantage in the series, but UNCW has dominated play in recent meetings, winning 14 of 15 and 18 of the last 20 matchups.
• The Seahawks were victorious in their lone meeting a season ago, knocking off the Patriots, 61-53, at Trask Coliseum on Jan. 15.
• UNCW holds a 16-13 advantage against George Mason at home during the 28-year history of the series between the two programs.
• The Seahawks have been ungracious hosts to the Patriots of late, posting victories in each of the last seven meetings between the two sides in the Port City.
• UNCW's last loss to the Patriots at home came in a 59-53 setback on Jan. 20, 2005.
• UNCW's 61 previous contests against George Mason represent the most matchups against an opponent in program history. In fact, the Patriots are just one of four schools (James Madison (60), William & Mary (60) and East Carolina (54)) that the Seahawks have played on more than 50 occasions during their 39-year history.

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 68-22 (.755) since the start of the 2007-08 season when leading at halftime.

• UNCW is 1-5 this season when holding a halftime advantage. Each of the Seahawks last four losses have come in games that has seen them hold a halftime edge.
• Three of the Seahawks five losses under such circumstances this season have come in games where their halftime advantage was three points or less (25-24 vs. Charlotte; 30-27 at Towson; 33-32 vs. William & Mary) while a fourth such contest featured a four-point intermission advantage (32-28 vs. Hofstra).
• On the flip side, the Seahawks are just 21-64 (.247) since 2007-08 and just 1-13 this season when trailing at intermission. UNCW picked up its first win under such circumstances in 2012-13 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 69-8 (.896) since the start of the 2007-08 season when it holds a lead of 10 points or more during a contest.

• The Seahawks are 2-3 this season under such circumstances. Each of the Seahawks last three losses have come after UNCW has held a double-digit lead in both games (11 vs. William & Mary; 12 at Old Dominion and 11 vs. Hofstra).
• The Seahawks have struggled to overcome big deficits in that same timeframe, posting an 12-71 (.145) 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 7th place on the all-time list with 93 three-pointers made while Lee is in 9th place with 85 treys made.
• 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 tonight's game four 3-pointers away from matching Tressa Reese for sixth place on the all-time list (97).
• Lee, meanwhile, moved into the top 10 by knocking down four 3-point attempts against Hofstra on Feb. 5. She begins tonight's contest five 3-poitners away from trying Jeri Lyn Coker for eighth place (90).
• Both players have been consistent from beyond the arc during their careers, with Lee sixth (.348) and Freeman 11th (.327) on the squad's chart for career three-point field goal percentage. Freeman led the league in three-point field goal percentage in 2011-12 (.414), while Lee ranks seventh on the circuit this season in that category (.368).

Hail To The Thief

Junior guard Jessica Freeman recently moved into the top 10 of the program's career steals chart.

• Currently tied for eighth place on the program's all-time steals chart, Freeman entered the top 10 on Jan. 31, recording five steals against William & Mary to surpass Johnnie Smith to gain entry on the the school's all-time thefts chart.
• Freeman enters today's contest with 180 career steals and needs just one theft to pass Sharon McDowell for sole possession of eighth place on the all-time list (180).
• Thievery is nothing new for the Charlotte, N.C. native as Freeman ranked sixth in the league in steals in 2011-12 (2.2). She currently ranks third among all league players in that category (2.7).
• Freeman has turned some memorable steals performances during her career. She matched a CAA tournament record with eight steals in the Seahawks victory over the Pride in the 2012 tournament quarterfinals and recently established a new career high with nine steals in the Seahawks contest against Hofstra on Feb. 5

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

UNCW returns to action Sunday as it entertains Georgia State in a 1 p.m. matinee at Trask Coliseum.