UNCW posts biggest win in years

TJ Carter scored just as time expired lifting the Seahawks to second place in the CAA.
Photo : Eric Bartsch

Bigger than big. Huger than huge. Gigantic, enormous even. You go into enemy turf, the third place team taking on the second place team, and hit a buzzer beater to put yourself behind only VCU in the league standings. BAM! How you like me now?

Coming in 4-8 on the road, needing a statement win away from Trask, the UNCW Seahawks got just that Saturday night with a dramatic 75-73 win over Colonial rival George Mason.

Sure, down the stretch, they are all big games, but Saturday night’s win was something more, more than just a win. It was a statement. This team is good, real good, and you better take note if you have them on your schedule.

In November, this team had promise. It seemed like they could be good. Then they hit the skids a bit, loosing five of seven. They didn’t have the chemistry flowing and appeared to be looking for leadership, it just wasn’t coming together. After their 93-74 loss to James Madison on January, they were 9-8. Better, but it felt like they were clicking on all cylinders.

UNCW was 7-22 last year, and coming into the season, appeared to have a nice team, a decent team, however after getting handed the nineteen point loss at James Madison, it was obvious, they just didn’t have IT, whatever it is.

But, wait a minute... not so fast, my friend. Just over a month later, things have changed, big time.

Now, after winning eight of their last ten games, they have the third most improved winning percentage in the country from ‘06-’07 and just posted the biggest Seahawk win in quite some time. This victory put them in a second place tie with the Patriots at 10-5. If the CAA tourney started today, UNCW would be the two seed courtesy their season sweep over Mason.

Ultimately, and of most importance, is finishing in the top four; those teams get first round byes and only have to win three games, instead of four, to punch their ticket to the Big Dance. But this was one of those games that helps give a team confidence down the road. Knowing that they can win a big game on the road has to be reassuring as March approaches.

While freshman Chad Tomko hit many key shots to stymie Mason’s progress, he hit four of five three pointers and looked like he might be the newest go-to guy, and Todd Hendley scored eleven consecutive points for UNCW late in the second half, it was Carter who had the ball in his hands after Mason missed a potential go-ahead free throw. With six seconds to play, the senior worked his way downcourt, got to the right block and lofted a lay-up high off the glass for the winning basket, just as the buzzer sounded.

And it wasn’t just that they won. It was how they won.

UNCW played good defense, held their own on the glass, and ultimately wanted it more when the game was on the line. They made the big plays and showed a lot of guts; they could have folded when their 70-64 lead became a 72-70 deficit after a GMU 8-0 run in the game’s final minutes, but showed championship character down the stretch. No matter how many times Mason gave them their best shot, the Seahawks had an answer, the last one given by TJ Carter as time expired lifting UNCW to the walk-off win.

So now we are to that point in the year, where the next game becomes the biggest game of the year. The Seahawks can’t feel too good about their win; losing Wednesday night at home to Georgia State would be a terrible setback. There is still work to be done, but for now, it sure is exciting being a UNCW fan.

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT