https://uncwsports.com/news/2018/12/17/m...lanta.aspx
Seahawks Face Old CAA Foe In Atlanta
WILMINGTON, North Carolina – The UNCW men's basketball team continues its challenging early schedule this week by concluding the non-conference slate with a pair of games in Georgia.
The Seahawks, 4-7, visit former Colonial Athletic Association rival Georgia State, 7-4, on Wednesday, Dec. 19, in Atlanta and then scoot down to Macon for a Saturday date with Mercer as the curtain closes on the non-conference schedule prior to the Christmas break.
Coach C.B. McGrath's club has dropped three in a row to high-profile opponents, including last Saturday's setback at nationally-ranked Furman, and heads to the Peach State looking for a couple wins. The trip will be extra meaningful for Georgia products Devontae Cacok (Riverdale), Jay Estime (Lilburn) and Alex O'Connell (Roswell).
"Our guys are frustrated about their performance at Furman because they didn't play well," McGrath said during his weekly radio/Facebook Live show at Buffalo Wild Wings. "We tell them to focus on the process and get better day-by-day and possession-by-possession."
"There's going to be a lot of family and friends to support those guys and us. They have been very important to us during their careers."
Georgia State was tabbed to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference by the league's coaches, collecting all 12 first-place votes. Junior guard D'Marcus Simonds was selected to the Preseason First-Team and senior guard Devin Mitchell picked to the Second-Team.
"Georgia State doesn't have any true post players, so they spread the court and shoot three's. That's a concern. They also play a match-up zone and that's hard to simulate. It might take four or five passes, but we hope to get some good looks."
UNCW is playing only its fourth true road game of the season. The Seahawks dropped a 97-93 overtime decision at Campbell in the season opener on Nov. 6, fell to No. 14 North Carolina, 97-69, on Dec. 5 in Chapel Hill and suffered the loss last weekend at Furman.
Senior forward Devontae Cacok tops three players in double figures for the Seahawks with 14.5 points per game and a CAA-leading 11.1 rebounds each contest. Redshirt junior forward Jeantal Cylla is collecting 13.2 points and redshirt junior guard Ty Taylor is contributing 10.0 points.
The Panthers are led by the talented Simonds, who averages 20.9 points and 4.5 rebounds. Malik Benlevi (12.0), Jeff Thomas (11.3) and Kane Williams (10.9) give GSU four in double digits.
Eight of GSU's first 11 games have been away from the GSU Sports Arena, where Ron Hunter's team stands 3-0. The Panthers outscored Chattanooga, 95-88, one week ago in its last home outing.
Live Seahawk Digital Network (SDN) coverage of the UNCW-GSU contest starts at 6:45 p.m. with Mike Vaccaro, the "Voice of the Seahawks," on the call. Visit UNCWsports.com/SDN for live audio coverage.
A radio broadcast of the game may be heard on 95.9 FM "The Breeze" | WKXB HD 2 – 95.9 FM and 99.9 HD2 and live stats are available at UNCWStats.com.
THE STORYLINES
THE LAST MEETING: In the last game between UNCW and GSU on Feb. 6, 2013, in Trask Coliseum, redshirt freshman Craig Ponder led five players in double figures as UNCW held off the Panthers, 76-72. The Seahawks shot 61.5 percent in the first half and wound up hitting 52.9 percent for the game, including 9-of-18 behind the arc. Keith Rendleman added his 13th double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Cedrick Williams chipped in 14 off the bench. Rookie R.J. Hunter, a first-round draft pick by the Boston Celtics, scored 20 in the first half for GSU and finished with 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting.
SEAHAWKS VS. HUNTER: Tonight is just the fifth time the Seahawks have faced GSU's Ron Hunter. UNCW beat the Panther skipper for the first time in the last pairing between the two CAA rivals.
THE SERIES: UNCW and GSU are colliding for the 20th time tonight. The Panthers lead the series by a narrow 10-9 margin, but have won seven of the last 10 meetings between the two teams.
SEAHAWKS VS. SUN BELT: Tonight is the only the second matchup between the CAA and Sun Belt in 2018-19. UNCW's win over Arkansas State on Nov. 23 in Asheville, N.C., represents the only clash between the two conferences this season.
NEXT UP: Following tonight's game, the Seahawks make the 83-mile trek south to Macon to take on Mercer in the first meeting between the two teams since 1978. UNCW then breaks for the Christmas holiday before opening CAA action on Dec. 29 with a home date against the College of Charleston at Trask Coliseum.
EVERYTHING SEAHAWKS: For more information on the UNCW men's basketball team, visit UNCWsports.com and click on the men's basketball button. Additional information is also available on UNCW's social media channels: Facebook (UNCW Men's Basketball), Twitter (@UNCWmenshoops), Instagram (UNCWBasketball).