WILMINGTON, N.C. – UNC Wilmington begins its 57th season of intercollegiate basketball Saturday night when College of Charleston visits Trask Coliseum for the renewal of one of the region’s best rivalries. It’s the earliest official start on record for the men’s team.
The Seahawks are anxious to erase the memories of last season’s 7-22 ledger that wound up with an early exit in the CAA Tournament. The return of 2006 CAA Tournament MVP T.J. Carter and a veteran cast has Coach Benny Moss hopeful as he enters his second year with the program.
“It’s time to start the season and we’re ready for it,” said Moss. A large crowd is expected for the 7 p.m. start in the 6,100-seat arena. “We’ve had good practices and have been able to keep everyone healthy. We’ve had some good competition against other opponents, but it’s time to play somebody different.”
The Seahawks clobbered the University of Ottawa, 108-58, in their lone exhibition tilt eight days ago. The point total was the highest since UNCW has been playing preseason tune-ups and marked the 17th consecutive exhibition victory for the Seahawks.
“We’re about where I thought we would be,” Moss added. “Our seniors are leading and playing well. Our sophomores and freshmen are competing and playing at a good intensity level. On a learning curve, we’re about where we should be with knowing the system and figuring out what we’re looking for.”
The Seahawks are opening the season at home for only the second time in the last 11 seasons. UNCW outscored Belmont, 83-80, in its season debut last year, giving Moss a win in his first outing as a head coach in the NIT Season Tip-Off in Nashville, Tenn.
The Cougars, 22-11 one year ago, lead the overall series between the two teams, 8-3, and have reeled off four straight wins over the Seahawks. Second-year skipper Bobby Cremins and his club thumped the Seahawks, 91-70, last season at John Kresse Arena behind Dontaye Draper’s 28 points.
Moss said, “The College of Charleston is a little bit of an unknown. They have a lot of new faces with three freshmen and a junior college transfer. We know their personnel, and we expect a battle.”
The white-haired Cremins coached 19 campaigns at Georgia Tech and became Tech’s all-time winningest coach in 1995-96. He led the Yellow Jackets to 14 winning seasons and 14 post-season berths, including three ACC Tournament titles.
“Coach Cremins is a very good coach, one of the best there’s ever been. He does things the right way.”
Cremins will have a familiar face beside him on the bench. Former Seahawk standout Mark Byington is beginning his second year as an assistant coach at CofC after working briefly at Virginia as Director of Basketball Operations.
The Seahawks are 17-14 in season openers since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1976-77. UNCW has won four consecutive season openers after losing six straight at one point.
UNCW went 5-7 at home last year, one of only two losing seasons at home since Trask Coliseum opened in 1976-77. Moss is counting on a boisterous crowd to give the Seahawks a lift on Saturday.
“It’s very important to get off to a good start at home,” he said. “To be a good team, you have to defend your home court. The coaching staff and players have put in a lot of hard work since the season ended last spring. It would be tremendous for our morale to get off to a good start and getting some positive momentum going on the road.”
Following Saturday’s clash with the Cougars, the Seahawks embark on an eight-day trip to the Midwest to play Illinois State, Indiana, Longwood and either Southeast Missouri State or Coppin State in the Chicago Invitational.
UNCW’s next home game is Wednesday, Nov. 28, when Mid-American Conference stalwart Toledo makes its first visit to Wilmington.

Courtesy UNCW Sports Information