Tonight the Flames host the Seahawks of UNC Wilmington at the Vines Center, for a 7 P.M. tip-off. Liberty is coming off of back to back losses, and will be looking to score their first Division 1 win of the season. The Seahawks dropped their first two of the season, but have won two in a row, including a win over Charleston Southern, coming into tonight’s contest. UNCW leads the all-time series 2-0, with the last meeting coming in 2011.
1. Introduction UNCW was picked 8th out of 9 teams in the CAA coming into the 2013-14 campaign. This is the 4th season for the Seahawks under Head Coach Buzz Peterson, and the team will definitely look to improve upon last season’s 10-20 record.
The is the Seahawks’ 4th season under Coach Buzz Peterson
2. Offense The Seahawks are led by 6’9″ Junior Forward Cedrick Williams. Williams is averaging 16.3 PPG coming into tonight, as well as 6.5 Rebounds per game. Wilmington will look to get Williams the ball early and often against the Flames. Liberty will also have to contend with UNCW’s player rotation, as 10 players routinely average double digit minutes for the Seahawks.
3. Defense The Seahawks are giving up 79 PPG on average so far this season, and are led by 6’8″ Junior Shane Reybold’s 8.3 boards and 2 blocks per game. UNCW is giving up about nine 3-pointers per game however, something Liberty must take advantage of.
4. Player Turnover UNCW lost its top scorer from last season, Keith Rendleman, and will be looking to replace his production. However, with only one true Freshman on the roster, the Seahawks will have plenty of experience to call upon.
5. Possible Starters Here is the probable starting five for the Seahawks in tonight’s game:
Point Guard: Ben Eblen (#5) is a 6’1″ 185 Lbs. Senior who arrived at UNCW by way of University of Alabama and Florida Air Academy. Eblen isn’t a huge scoring threat, but does a good job of creating opportunities for Cedric Williams inside.
Guard: Chris Dixon (#1) comes in at 6’0″ 190 Lbs. for his Senior season with the Seahawks. Dixon is 3rd on the team in scoring, averaging 8.5 PPG, and is one of the better 3-point shooters on the team.
Guard: Addison Spruill (#24) is a 6’4″ 225 Lbs. Junior who is averaging 10 PPG, good enough for second on his team. Spruill’s size could pose match up problems for the Flames depending on the line up Coach Layer has in the game.
UNCW is led by 6’9″ Forward Cedric Williams.
Forward: Cedric Williams (#40) will be the player to watch for the Seahawks. The 6’9″ 225 Lbs. Junior is the go to guy inside, averaging better than 16 PPG, and shooting 64.9% from the field.
Forward: Shane Reybold (#33), a 6’8″ 238 Lbs. Senior completes the Seahawks’ likely starting five. Reybold is a key defensive player for UNCW, and the team’s leading rebounder.
6. Prediction Despite being picked 8th in the CAA this season, Wilmington comes to Lynchburg with a deep and experienced roster. If the Flames are able to contain Cedric Williams inside, and limit his easy buckets Liberty could be in position to win this game down the stretch. Liberty will likely need a better shooting performance from behind the arc tonight though to take home the victory. The Flames haven’t performed well against CAA teams in the past, but this game is certainly another winnable Division 1 game. In the end though, I think the Seahawk’s experience and depth are too much for Liberty. UNC Wilmington 76 Liberty 68
