Seahawks Look To Remain Undefeated At College of Charleston

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The UNC Wilmington women’s basketball team looks to start a season at 3-0 for just the second time during the Ann Hancock era Monday as it faces the College of Charleston in a 7 p.m. contest at John Kreese Arena.

The Seahawks last started a season at 3-0 during the 2002-03 campaign, when UNCW rattled off seven straight victories to begin a season that ended with a 22-6 overall mark, matching the mark for most wins in a season.  

“Going to 3-0 would be big for us in terms of confidence,” eighth-year head coach Ann Hancock said. “With a young team, it would help our players believe in what we are trying to accomplish as a program. Plus, being able to win back-to-back contests on the road would help prepare us for conference play, where every road contest is a challenge.”  

The Seahawks improved to 2-0 last Wednesday with a 59-56 victory at long-time rival Campbell. Junior Sahsha Taylor and freshman Brittany Blackwell both continued their strong play, tallying 14 points apiece on identical 6-for-11 efforts from the field. The Seahawks also dominated the battle on the glass, holding a 44-31 advantage in rebounds as sophomore Candace Walker matched her career-high with 11 to lead the way.  

“The Campbell game forced our young players to step up and take a bigger role,” Hancock noted. “Against Presbyterian, everyone got to play, but those were under different circumstances that what we faced against the Camels. But, it was also important for our older players, as it showed them that we are able to win tough games on the road, which was a problem for us last season.”

The College of Charleston makes its 2007-08 home debut with a 0-1 mark following a 63-46 loss at Coastal Carolina Nov. 14. The Cougars struggled to generate any sort of offensive attack against the Chanticleers, shooting just .333 (19-of-57) from the field while attempting only four free throws during the contest. Junior Nikki Williams, the team’s top returning scorer (8.5) from last season’s 10-20 squad, had seven points and a team-best nine rebounds, while sophomore Erica Williams (no relation) chipped in a team-high 11 points.  

“It’s been hard for us to scout Charleston, as so many players are new to the Cougars program this season,” Hancock said. “We are going to focus on our rebounding and pushing the ball up court. We have rebounded well in both of our games this season, but we were unable to get and push against Campbell.”

UNCW holds a 6-5 edge in the all-time series against the College of Charleston, having won each of the last four contests by an average of 16.7 points.