CAA Men's Basketball

5 Things To Know About UNCW Basketball Before Filling Your NCAA Bracket

5 Things To Know About UNCW Basketball Before Filling Your NCAA Bracket

UNC Wilmington has already had a great season, but they aren't ready for it to end. Here are things to know before filling out your bracket.

Mar 16, 2025 by Cameron Belcher
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As they await where they land on the bracket on March 16, apart from the selection show Sunday, UNC Wilmington men's basketball is still living in the reality of becoming CAA champions earlier this week on March 11th.

During the regular season, UNCW ended with a 24-7 record, which was good enough to secure the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.

The Seahawks won challenging games over Hampton, two-time defending conference champion Charleston, and Delaware.

March Madness moments are made from surprises and upsets, and teams like UNC Wilmington believe they can defeat a top seed in the tournament.

Here is everything about UNC Wilmington basketball before filing out brackets worldwide.

1. UNCW Just Won Its Seventh CAA Title

  • After defeating Delaware in the conference title game, the Seahawks became CAA champions for the seventh time with a 76-72 win.
  • This means UNC Wilmington is now the leader in the CAA for the most titles between former and current members.
  • As a mid-major school, conference titles are the only way they can reach the NCAA tournament, and for the seventh time, UNCW can go dancing again.

2. The Seahawks Own A Win Over USC In The Tournament

  • UNC Wilmington men's basketball may have a 1-6 record all-time in the big dance, but that one win is the biggest in their program's history.
  • In 2002, No. 13 seed UNCW shocked the world when they stunned No. 4 seed USC in overtime, winning 93-89 during the South regionals.
  • Throughout the game, UNC Wilmington was in control for most of it. It had its biggest lead at 19, a lead that they would blow but eventually rally in overtime to put the game away and advance.

3. First NCAA Tournament Bid In Over Eight Seasons

  • The last time UNCW was in the NCAA tournament was over calendar years ago, in 2017. After facing against Virginia in the first round, UNCW lost to the Cavaliers by five points.
  • Although the Seahawks could not make a long run in the tournament, it was a season to remember for them, as it was the first season the program won back-to-back conference titles.
  • Also, UNCW collected 29 wins that year, which contributed to the statistically best offensive season, and they continue to do well today.

4. UNC Wilmington Scored 143 Points This Season

  • In the first game of the regular season this year, UNCW opened it by sending a message to anyone who thought about getting in their way by scoring 143 points against Mount Olive.
  • Everything clicked for them in the nearly 50-point win. They finished the game shooting 69 percent from the field and 54 percent from three-point range.
  • 81 points were scored in the first half, and Mount Olive finished the game with only ten more points, which says enough about the Seahawks' performance.

5. They Have A Fearless Leader In Donovan Newby

  • Graduate Student point guard Donovan Newby has risen to the occasion by leading UNC Wilmington throughout its run to the NCAA tournament.
  • Newby averaged 15 points per game while dishing 4 assists a game and showed up big time during conference championships with multiple big shots in the semifinals and title game over Charleston and Delaware.
  • In order to stun a top-seeded team in the tournament and create a program-defining moment, teams need players like Newby on their side. Although it may not be likely that the Seahawks win a game in the first round, it's not impossible for it to happen.

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